The Last of Us: Surrogate Fates: Jackson Life
by Newbie52
Summary: A follow-up to Shadows of the Past, 'Jackson Life' chronicles the years following Ellie and Matthew's return to Jackson. Together, Ellie, Matthew, and their friends, both old and new, confront some of the greater challenges of a 'normal life'. Life in Jackson may be safer than life everywhere else, but life in Jackson is far from simple. Rated M for language and mature content.
1. Prologue

"Alright, Ellie," Joel said, stopping them in a small clearing surrounded by trees. "We're done for the night."

Ellie stopped and stood still in the middle of the clearing.

Joel walked forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Ellie jumped at the contact and forced herself to relax. "Yeah," she whispered with a nod. "We should stop."

Joel let his hand drop and placed his backpack and guitar on the ground. "You can't keep running yourself this way, Ellie."

"I know," Ellie tried to explain as she moved her long hair out of her eyes. "I know I can't. But—"

Joel held up a hand. "I'm not mad, kiddo," he assured her. "But I know leaving him was hard and I… I've never seen you run like this before."

Ellie looked away for a moment and sat down. She pulled out her knife and started flipping it in her hand. After a few seconds, she sighed and looked at Joel. "I didn't think it would be this hard," she said.

The only light was that of the moon that shined above them.

Ellie pulled her sweater closer to her as a cool breeze swept through the clearing.

Joel sat down across from her and leaned forward. "Yes you did," he said gently.

"I guess I did," Ellie admitted with a sad smile.

"And I'm proud that you could let the kid go," Joel continued.

Ellie started to fidget with her necklace. "I just want to get back to Jackson. I feel that if I get there, I can find something to help me—"

"This is not something that you should have to move on from," Joel interrupted softly. He placed his hands together. "You both chose the paths that you felt you had to take. There's nothing wrong with that. But we also have to be realistic."

Ellie looked down. "I know I may never see him again," she said. She shrugged off her backpack and set down her guitar. "It doesn't make it any easier."

"I know," Joel said quietly.

There was a rustling in the bushes behind them.

Ellie looked with caution and a hint of hope.

A squirrel ran into the open and up a nearby tree.

Ellie looked away, disappointed.

Joel noted Ellie's reaction with regret.

"I'll take the first shift," Ellie said, grabbing her bow.

"No way," Joel said firmly. "You were up hours before I was and you've been doing this to yourself for a month and a half. _I'll_ take the first watch."

"Bossy," Ellie grumbled. She sighed dramatically, put away her knife, and placed her backpack under her head. "Goodnight, Joel."

Joel smiled. "Goodnight, Ellie," he said as he made a small fire.

A few minutes later, Ellie was asleep, having allowed exhaustion to wash over her.

Joel reached into his backpack and grabbed out the chess set. He set up the pieces and played a game against himself. After yet another stalemate, Joel sighed and set up the next game.

The twig snapped a short distance away.

Joel stood and grabbed his gun as he heard the steps getting closer.

A few seconds later, a grey and white dog ran to him, dropping a squirrel.

The dog was followed by a young man.

 ** _…_**

Matthew kept his hands raised, unsure how Joel was going to react.

Joel grunted and lowered his weapon.

Matthew slowly lowered his hands. His gaze moved to the figure sleeping a few feet away from the campfire. Matthew looked back at Joel and cast his gaze down in a silent apology. After a few seconds, Matthew looked up.

Joel nodded and motioned to Ellie with his head.

Matthew dropped his backpack and moved past Joel who was scratching the dog, Winston, behind his ears. After a moment, Matthew turned around and placed the knight piece Joel had given him over a month ago back on the board.

Matthew walked over to Ellie and slowly knelt to the ground, finally lying beside her.

 ** _…_**

Ellie awoke to the sound of someone lying on the ground. She knew who it was. She didn't turn. She didn't even move. She just smiled and closed her eyes, falling peacefully asleep.

 **THE LAST OF US:**

 **SURROGATE FATES**

 **Jackson Life**


	2. The First Three Days: Day I

Ellie awoke from one of the most peaceful dreams she'd ever had in Jackson County. She rolled over on her makeshift sleeping bag to find that her companion was not beside her as he had been the night before.

Matthew was nowhere to be seen.

Ellie felt a small pang of nervousness before shutting it down. _Matthew wouldn't run off. He's around somewhere._

Winston was still laying on the empty bed above her _._ Ellie sat up and the dog jumped down and licked her face. Ellie pet him for a few minutes before standing and throwing the pillows, sheets, and blankets back on the bed in a pile.

Matthew's sleeping bag was already neatly folded in the closet.

Ellie brushed her hair, pulled on her sleeve to cover her right arm, and put on a red sweater and a pair of blue jeans. She walked down the stairs with Winston to find Joel at the kitchen table.

Joel wore blue jeans and a green plaid shirt and was taking slow sips of his coffee.

Ellie moved to the sink.

"Morning," Joel said. "Don't worry, the kid said he'd be back before ten."

Ellie glanced at the clock and saw that it was only 8:30. Ellie continued to stare for a moment, realizing that it was the first time that she had ever slept straight through a night. She shrugged and reached down beside the fridge to grab a soda.

"Water or milk," Joel said, not even looking in her direction.

Ellie rolled her eyes, grabbed a glass, and got water from the sink. "I'm an adult," she mumbled.

"Only when I'm not around," Joel replied. "How late were you two up last night?"

"Late enough to make you nervous," Ellie said mischievously.

Joel glanced at her.

Ellie shrugged. "We got to sleep around two, two-thirty. We had to rearrange the room a bit."

"Did you have a good time?" Joel asked genuinely.

"Yeah," Ellie said, almost in wonder of the truth. "Yeah, we did. We played a few games of poker, listened to music, read from a pun book Joey gave me. It was really fun."

"Good," Joel said, taking another sip of his coffee. "I'm glad."

"Did…" Ellie hesitated for a moment. She forced herself to ask the question. "Did Matthew seem happy this morning?"

"Yes," Joel answered. "He's just as nervous as you were when you first got here. But I think last night was good for him."

"Good," Ellie said, relieved. There was an awkward silence. Ellie sat down. "How was dinner at Tommy's?"

"It was nice to be home," Joel said. He took another sip of coffee and looked at Ellie, raising an eyebrow. "You wanna go find the kid, don't you?"

"Kinda," Ellie answered with a nervous laugh. She looked out the window. "I just want him to know that he isn't alone in this."

Joel motioned to the door. "Go on, then. Just make sure you're back in a few hours."

"Thanks," Ellie said, grabbing a soda and her jacket. "I'll see you in a bit."

Ellie downed the soda and exited the house, walking across the soft, powdery snow. She found Matthew on the Wall near the general store and made her way toward the ladder leading up to him.

Matthew was wearing his usual blue sweater and jeans. He sat cross-legged on an old RV with his bow lying next to him. He was keeping his distance from the other men on the Wall.

Ellie climbed up onto the Wall and sat down next to Matthew.

Matthew glanced in her direction before turning back to the sun.

"You're in my spot," Ellie said, playfully shoving him.

"Sorry," Matthew said. He scooted over a few inches.

"I'll get over it," Ellie said dramatically.

"Not about that," Matthew said, glancing at her. "Leaving you. I just… I had to get out of the house for a while. I don't know. I had to—"

"Do something," Ellie completed with a shrug. "I know how that feels. How was the sunrise?"

"Weird," Matthew admitted, looking around him. "I'm used to it being so silent. Now, there's people everywhere."

"You'll get used to it," Ellie assured him. "Just give it some time."

"Was Joel always this confident when talking to you?" Matthew asked.

"Yeah," Ellie admitted. She sighed. "But I refused to really listen because a part of me didn't trust him. Or myself for that matter."

Matthew shifted uncomfortably.

Ellie grabbed his hand. "I know you probably won't believe this, but I think that you are in an even better position than I was when I first came here."

"How so?" Matthew asked, looking at her.

"You have nothing holding you back," Ellie answered after a moment of thought. "You have people around that you trust. You…"

Matthew turned to her as her words trailed off, still holding her hand.

Ellie sighed and continued, speaking softly. "You don't have something that prevents you from getting close to people."

"Neither do you," Matthew replied.

"I have to keep my distance with most," Ellie countered.

"I guess so," Matthew said, dropping the subject. "But you still have me. And Tim."

"Not yet," Ellie said.

They were silent for a few minutes.

Matthew took a deep breath. "This whole thing is definitely harder than it looks."

"Are you…" Ellie hesitated for a moment, afraid of the answer. "You don't want to leave, do you?"

"No," Matthew answered firmly. "No. I'll admit that when I woke up, I didn't know where I was and I'm scared of what happens next, but, no. I have nothing to go back to out there."

"You have a reason to stay," Ellie said, nudging his shoulder.

"It's the same reason I came back," Matthew said with a smile.

Ellie smiled as well.

Matthew relaxed and looked at the sun.

"It's normal," Ellie said after a while.

"What?" Matthew asked.

"Being scared," Ellie clarified. "It's normal."

"Normal sucks sometimes," Matthew replied.

"Yeah," Ellie admitted. "But not always."

A man climbed the ladder and stood behind them. "Thanks for the break, kid."

"No problem," Matthew said, standing up. He looked at Ellie. "Clarisse is in the shop. You wanna say 'hi'?"

The man sat down as Ellie and Matthew descended the ladder to the street below.

"Have you been up there the entire morning?" Ellie asked.

"On and off," Matthew replied. "I met the shopkeeper, though. That was… interesting."

"Interesting how?" Ellie asked as they entered the shop.

Matthew didn't answer.

Ellie looked around and saw that the shopkeeper and Clarisse were standing the far corner. The old man was showing the little girl how to alphabetize. Clarisse wore a small red dress. The shopkeeper wore his usual brown jeans and sweater.

Ellie looked at the counter and saw an assortment of knives and weaponry lying across it. She laughed, walked behind the counter, and began placing the weapons back where they belonged.

"What did you learn?" Ellie asked Matthew as she ejected a bullet from a rifle before placing it behind the counter.

"Everything about what the bullets can blow open and how deep the knives can cut," Matthew said with a small grunt. "I'm pretty sure he was threatening me, though."

"Well that's what you get for being friends with the queen," Ellie replied, grabbing an apple from a bowl behind her. She tossed it to Matthew and walked around the counter. "You get warm welcomes."

"So, it _is_ your fault," Matthew said in mock disbelief. "I thought I was being paranoid. I've only been threatened by Joel, Joey, and your… employer. I just didn't see the connection until now."

"What can I say?" Ellie asked, sitting on the counter. "I gots fans."

"Can you give me some fans?" Clarisse asked, walking up to Ellie with a small book in her hand. "Nobody ever listens when I ask them to take things out of the store."

"I'll give you a few tips," Ellie promised, kneeling to Clarisse's level. "For now, just remember that girls want colorful stuff and boys want plain boring stuff."

"Ouch," Matthew grumbled from behind Ellie.

"Get used to it," the shopkeeper grunted as he returned to the counter. "She's usually right."

Ellie glanced at the book in Clarisse's hand. "You reading now?"

Clarisse handed the book to Ellie.

Ellie looked inside and saw that it contained crude drawings in black crayon. Ellie smiled and started flipping through the book.

"I'm still working on the last one," Clarisse said quickly, snatching the book from Ellie before she reached the most recent drawing.

Ellie smiled. "They're very good, Clarisse."

"Where's Tim?" Matthew asked, glancing around.

"At work," Clarisse replied. "He helps with water."

A man and a woman walked into the store behind them.

Ellie looked at Matthew, who nodded.

Ellie grabbed Clarisse's shoulders. "We gotta go," she said. "But remember what I said about boys and girls."

"Okay," Clarisse said, eagerly looking at the new customers.

Ellie gave Clarisse a hug before exiting the shop with Matthew.

"You wanna go for that walk we talked about last night?" Ellie asked.

"Sure," Matthew said.

After a half hour, they came across a secluded park a few hundred feet away from one of the Walls. It had a few swings and a merry-go-round. The entire area was surrounded by large trees and brush.

Ellie and Matthew sat on a couple swings.

"You ever been here before?" Matthew asked Ellie.

"A few times," Ellie replied. "I never stuck around."

"Why not?" Matthew inquired.

Ellie blushed and looked away. "There were a few guys that… well, this was a hangout, and I kept to myself a lot."

"How do you feel about it now?" Matthew pressed.

Ellie didn't answer. She started to swing higher and higher. After a few high swings, she craned her head. _I don't remember that._ She jumped off, landing on two feet, and grabbed Matthew's hand.

"Where are we going?" Matthew asked, falling in step next to her.

"I never noticed this," Ellie said, moving toward a group of trees with low branches.

Ellie guided Matthew around a group of trees on the left side of the park.

A small path led into a wide area just beyond the brush. There was a large fallen tree off to the side and several trees with hollowed out trunks. Two trees stood parallel to each other off to the left. One had an old net hanging off of it.

"I wonder how long this has been here," Matthew said, placing his hand on one of the trees.

Ellie walked over and yanked on the old net. It snapped off, practically crumbling in her hand.

"I think it's been a while. Probably before the outbreak," Ellie said, dropping the net. She sat down on the fallen tree. "Still, this is pretty cool."

Matthew sat down next to her and looked around.

The trees rose high above them, almost darkening the sky. The brush was high enough that they couldn't be seen from the park or the Wall beyond.

"I like this place," Matthew said. He seemed to relax. "It's… good."

"I say we make this our hangout place," Ellie suggested. She laid back on the fallen tree and looked above her. "It's secluded, it's outside, and it's…"

"Us," Matthew completed.

Ellie smiled again, taking in the repetition of the new feeling. _I like smiling. It's nice…_

Matthew sat against the log next to Ellie. He closed his eyes for a moment.

Ellie closed her eyes as well and her hand soon found Matthew's.

Matthew squeezed slightly as they listened to the bird's chirping overhead.

 ** _…_**

Joel exited the 'doctor's office'. He stood outside of a small house that Jackson's newest doctor lived and worked out of in Jackson County.

The 'doctor's office' was located on the opposite end of Jackson from the general store. It was a single-story house with a living room with two couches and a chair. A hallway connected the living room to a bedroom, a bathroom, and a large kitchen.

Joel looked around. _Where are they?_

As if on cue, Ellie and Matthew appeared down the street and began moving toward him.

"Howdy," Ellie said lightly as she and Matthew reached Joel.

"You're late," Joel grunted.

"We just went for a walk," Ellie said. She folded her arms and looked at the house. "Did you meet her?"

Joel nodded.

"And?" Matthew asked.

"And… she's different," Joel said. He glanced at Matthew. "By the way, I asked and she said she'd give you a quick checkup too."

"I appreciate it," Matthew replied, the nervousness in his voice evident.

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "She's just an old doctor," she said to Joel. "How different could she be?"

Matthew laughed. "And _you're_ just a normal girl."

Ellie looked away. "Good point," she mumbled.

Ellie knocked before walking into the house with Matthew. Joel walked in and closed the door behind them. They heard a clambering from the kitchen to the right as cupboard doors opened and closed.

"It doesn't smell like an old person home," Ellie whispered. Matthew put his face in his hand as Ellie glanced at Joel. "No offence."

Joel ignored the comment. "Ellie, this may not be what you—"

"Sorry about the wait," the doctor said, walking down the hall and into the living room. "I wasn't as prepared as I thought I was."

Joel suppressed a rare smile as Ellie's mouth dropped open for a moment.

The 'old doctor' Ellie was expecting had turned out to be a young woman about her age. She wore a pair of blue jeans and a white sweater. She had long blond hair that she'd pulled up into a tight pony-tail.

"My name's Heather," the doctor said, her brown eyes surveying her new patients. Her eyes lingered on Matthew.

Matthew extended his hand. "Matthew."

Ellie shook off her initial surprise and extended her hand as well. "Ellie."

Heather shook both their hands and took a step back. "So, we'll only be here a couple minutes each. I just want to check blood pressure, fevers, old wounds, stuff like that. Anyone wanna volunteer to go first?"

After a few seconds of awkward silence, Matthew shrugged. "I guess I can go first," he said.

Heather nodded and looked at Joel and Ellie. "You two can make yourselves at home. We'll be back in a few minutes."

Joel glanced at Ellie as Heather and Matthew moved down the hallway toward the kitchen.

Ellie stood with a thoughtful and curious look on her face. Then she shrugged and sat down in a nearby chair.

"What do you think?" Joel asked,

"She's definitely different," Ellie admitted.

 ** _…_**

Matthew sat down at a chair in the kitchen.

On the table in front of him sat a device that had a pad with velcro. The pad was attached to a small round meter and a small, squishy ball with a cord.

There was also a short, thin piece of paper the size and width of Matthew's index finger next to it. The piece of paper had a faded, multicolored bar with numbers along the top.

"This is a blood pressure kit," Heather said as she picked up the first device. She shrugged. "Basically, it's going to make sure you blood is working well with your body. Can I have your arm?"

Matthew slowly pulled up his sleeve and held out his arm. Heather grabbed his arm and

held it firmly in place. She wrapped the pad around Matthew's arm and sealed it with the velcro.

"So, Joel said you're new here?" Heather asked as she started squeezing the ball.

"Yeah," Matthew said as the pad got tighter around his arm and the red tab on the meter moved to different numbers. "I just got here yesterday. But I've been out there a while."

"Any other wounds that need to be checked up on or that I need to know about?" Heather

asked, glancing at the meter and allowing the pressure on Matthew's hand to fade with a soft hiss.

"Probably not," Matthew answered. He could have sworn that the doctor's hand lingered on his arm a few seconds longer than necessary. "I've got a wound on each shoulder, but they've healed well enough."

"Blood pressure's good," Heather said. She unwrapped the pad and set the blood pressure kit to the side. "You mind if I take a look at the shoulder wounds?"

Matthew shook his head and stood, removing his jacket and shirt. As he was pulling it over his head, he thought he saw a small blush cross Heather's face. When Matthew set the shirt on the table, the blush was gone.

Heather placed a hand on Matthew's left shoulder and took a look at the old gunshot wound.

"Looks healed," Heather said after a moment, giving it a light touch. "Who helped you with cleaning it out and wrapping it?"

"Ellie," Matthew answered.

"She's good," Heather said with admiration.

Heather applied a small amount of pressure to Matthew's shoulder bone before shifting her grip to his other shoulder. Matthew noticed the extra contact and tossed the thought aside as Heather looked at his right shoulder.

"Knife wound," Heather murmured. "This looks deep."

Matthew grunted. "Deep enough for a gun to fit inside… and then some."

Heather cringed at the description. "It looks really well healed, though," she said.

"I was able to keep it wrapped and I used pills to keep it from getting infected," Matthew explained.

"Where did this happen?" Heather asked.

"Boston," Matthew answered.

"Boston's a long way from here," Heather commented.

"Tell me about it," Matthew grumbled.

Heather released Matthew's shoulder after another few seconds of added pressure. Her hand slid down his arm and to the table.

Matthew shifted uncomfortably as Heather grabbed the piece of paper with the numbers.

"Well, all that's left is to check your temperature and make sure there's no fever," Heather said as she shook out the paper. "Electronics may not work, but these old-ass things still work just fine."

Heather grabbed Matthew's arm and turned him in his chair so that light could shine on his face through the kitchen window. She pressed the paper to his head and angled it toward the light. As Heather looked at the paper, she placed her hand on Matthew's chest.

Matthew resisted moving away from the contact.

After a few seconds, Heather removed the paper. "No fever," she said lightly.

"I'm not sure I would know the difference," Matthew admitted, noticing that Heather still hadn't removed her hand. "Like I said, I've been out there a long time. Sickness doesn't mean much."

Heather applied a little more pressure on Matthew's chest, her fingernails just grazing his skin.

Matthew quickly stood and grabbed his shirt. "That mean we're done?" he tried to ask calmly.

"Yeah," Heather said, shaking her head quickly. "We're good."

A cat with green eyes, long brown and white fur, and a fluffy tail jumped up on the table as Matthew quickly put on his shirt and grabbed his jacket.

"Arata!" Heather snapped. "Get out of here!"

The calico cat hissed at Matthew, nudged Heather's arm, and flicked its tail before hopping off the table. It walked to a food dish in the corner of the room and sat down expectantly.

"Sorry about that," Heather said, shooting a glare in the cat's direction. She sighed and looked at Matthew, who was already moving to the door. "You can tell Ellie that I'll be with her in a second. If I don't feed the fur ball, it'll never leave us alone."

 ** _…_**

Ellie stood as Matthew returned to the living room.

The young man seemed unwilling to meet Ellie's eye.

Ellie glanced behind Matthew as Heather walked past the kitchen doorway followed by a cat.

Heather flashed an almost nervous glance in their direction.

It took Ellie a moment to realize the doctor was looking at Matthew.

Ellie shrugged the look off. "Joel's outside talking to one of the Wall guards," she informed Matthew.

Matthew didn't answer.

Ellie looked over Matthew's shoulder. "So, how'd it go?"

"It was fine," Matthew answered quickly.

Ellie raised an eyebrow.

Matthew looked away again and spoke. "She's feeding the cat. She said she'd be with you in a minute and you kinda need to kiss me."

"What?" Ellie asked, thrown for a loop.

"Yeah. Like, now."

"Why?" Ellie pressed. She thought for a moment and smiled. "Oh my God, was she _crushing_ on you?"

"Ellie…" Matthew began, starting to get annoyed.

"Aww, that's so cute!" Ellie whispered excitedly. "Your first Jackson crush! Even the ugly kids get a chance!"

"Ellie…"

"Did you at least let her down easy?" Ellie continued, keeping her voice low. "You have to at least be nice about it."

Matthew folded his arms and glared at her.

Ellie dramatically put a hand to her mouth. "You didn't say anything?" she asked quietly.

Again, Matthew didn't answer.

Ellie punched him in the shoulder. "You want me to kiss you so…"

"Just do it," Matthew pleaded.

"No way," Ellie said, shaking her head. "You get to clean up your own mess. You want her to stop crushing on you, all you have to say to her is—"

Matthew interrupted her, kissing her full on the mouth.

Ellie returned the kiss as Joel came through the door behind them and Heather walked down the hallway.

The young doctor quickly turned away as her face went red.

Ellie pushed Matthew away and put a finger on his chest. " _You_ are no fun," she said quietly.

Matthew turned away, seemingly unable to meet the doctor _or_ Joel's gaze.

Ellie walked past Matthew toward Heather, who was already walking back to the kitchen.

 ** _…_**

Matthew finally turned to Joel as Ellie exited the room.

The older man was standing by the door with his arms folded.

Matthew gulped.

"You wanna tell me what that was all about?" Joel asked quietly.

Matthew scratched the back of his head for a second. "You know how Ellie sometimes asks for a pass on uncomfortable questions?"

"Mm-hm."

"I think I'd like to try that this time."

"Okay, kid."

 ** _…_**

"Okay," Ellie began as confidently as she could, choosing to ignore the awkward elephant in the room. She tossed her jacket over the chair in the kitchen. "So, what do I do now."

"You can uh…" Heather's voice trailed off. A second later she shrugged, apparently choosing to ignore the elephant in the room as well. "We'll start with some blood pressure, a quick check of any recent wounds, if you have any that is, and end with a quick temp check."

"Alright," Ellie said, still nervous.

Heather picked up a device on the table and set it back down. She blushed and looked Ellie in the eye.

Ellie simply looked back at as blankly as she could.

"I'm so sorry," Heather began quickly. "I didn't know he was _with_ you… Joel said that Matthew was a friend. I didn't know—"

"It's fine," Ellie said with a smile. She felt her nervousness dissolve somewhat. "It's totally cool. It provided some much-needed amusement for me too. This whole doctor thing is… a bit out of my comfort zone."

Heather relaxed somewhat as well. "Let's try this again," she said, extending her hand. "I'm Heather."

Ellie took the hand and shook it. "Ellie."

"Nice to meet you," Heather said with another smile. "Ready to do this?"

"I hope so," Ellie answered.

"Let's start with the blood pressure kit," Heather said. "Can you hold out your arm?"

Ellie hesitated a moment before reluctantly grabbing the sleeve on her right arm.

"Either arm will do," Heather said, sensing Ellie's hesitation.

Ellie glanced at Heather in surprise, then took a breath. _Tommy said you can trust her, Ellie. Suck it up._ Ellie pulled up her sleeve, revealing the bite.

Heather placed the pad around Ellie's arm.

Ellie watched as the doctor calmly used the device and glanced at the meter.

As Heather released the pressure, she placed the stethoscope she wore near Ellie's wrist. After a few seconds, Heather undid the pad on Ellie's arm and placed it on the table, not even taking a glance at the bite.

Ellie pulled her sleeve down with her mouth wide open. She quickly closed her mouth and looked at the table in wonder.

The silence was broken by a cat jumping on the table and hissing at Ellie.

"Sorry," Heather said, picking up the cat and tossing it to the ground. "She doesn't care for strangers."

"Nice to meet you too," Ellie said sarcastically to the cat.

Heather finished by getting Ellie's temperature.

"All set," Heather said after a few seconds. " Bloods fine. No temp. Everything's completely normal. Have a good day, Ellie."

Ellie chuckled and shook her head.

"Something wrong?" Heather asked, confused by Ellie's reaction.

"Sorry," Ellie said as she stood. "It's just that 'normal' and me… we haven't been on the same page for a long time."

Heather laughed, keeping her eyes fixed on Ellie's. "Between you and me, I'd prefer 'Jackson normal' over the 'normal' out _there_ any day."

"I'm starting to come around to that idea," Ellie admitted. She nodded to herself and looked at Heather. "Thanks for the, you know, checkup. It wasn't as scary as I thought it'd be."

"Thanks for not taking what happened before personally," Heather replied.

Ellie grabbed her jacket. As she was about to walk out of the kitchen, she stopped. Her hand rested on the doorway. _Why not._ Ellie turned around. "Hey," she started, unsure of how to ask. "I know this is awkward and kinda sudden, but… do you wanna hang out or something sometime."

"Huh?" Heather asked, looking up from the cat.

Ellie walked forward a few steps, pulling on her fingers. "It's just… Matthew and Joel have a shift on the Wall later tonight around eight, and I've got nowhere I really need to be and I was just wondering if you wanted to hang out or… something."

"Sure," Heather said with a nervous chuckle. "You and Matthew are two of the three patients I actually have so… I've got a bit of free time. Yeah, that sounds great."

"Cool," Ellie said, relaxing. She looked around. "Do you know where I live, or should I come here, or…"

"We can meet at your place if you want," Heather answered. "You live across from Joey's, right?"

"Yeah," Ellie said. She considered asking a few questions that popped into her head but chose to wait. "Alright, well, I'll see you later, then."

"See you," Heather replied.

Ellie walked back into the living room where Joel and Matthew were sitting on a couple of chairs.

"How was it?" Joel asked.

"I like her," Ellie said simply.

Ellie glanced at Matthew and saw him visibly relax.

They all exited the house without a word.

When they reached the house, Ellie, Matthew, and Joel, ate a quick dinner. After taking the dog for a walk around Jackson, practicing on their guitars few hours, playing a couple games of chess, and visiting Clarisse at the shop again, Joel and Matthew got ready for their shift on the Wall.

A few minutes later, Ellie was left alone. She grabbed her Walkman and listened to it for a few minutes with one ear, trying to stop herself from being nervous.

There was a knock on the front door.

Ellie got up and opened the door.

Heather stood outside, holding a small, brown bag.

There were two seconds of awkward silence before Ellie invited her in.

 ** _…_**

Matthew climbed up on the ladder and sat atop the same RV that he had been on earlier that morning.

A few seconds later, Joel joined him. As Joel grabbed the rifle from the man he was relieving, Matthew unclipped his crossbow and set it beside him.

Matthew immediately set his gaze on the forest looming beyond the Wall. There was nobody to be seen. No Hunters, Bandits, or Infected. The moon shined and reflected brightly off the accumulated snow. The only noises were those of the nocturnal animals that had finally come out in search of food and nesting materials.

Matthew saw a squirrel and instinctively reached for his crossbow, intending on catching the night's meal.

"Relax," Joel said quietly.

Matthew lowered the crossbow and looked away, embarrassed.

"So, how are holding up?" Joel finally asked.

"As good as I can," Matthew answered truthfully. "I feel… lost. But at least I don't have to look over my shoulder for things that are trying to kill me."

"But you're still looking over your shoulder," Joel observed.

"Yeah," Matthew said quietly. "It's a reflex."

"Well, don't let it drop completely," Joel advised. He pointed to the forest beyond the Walls. "Out there, it's just as dangerous as ever. If we forget that—"

"We die," Matthew completed calmly. He sighed. "Don't worry. To tell the truth, I don't think that my… caution will ever go away."

There was a loud laugh and three boys a couple years younger than Matthew climbed onto the Wall a short distance away. All three boys wore black jackets and jeans.

One of the boys had short brown hair and looked to be about Matthew's height. He shot a challenging look in Matthew's direction before setting his rifle on the Wall beside him.

Matthew looked away and continued scanning the forest beyond the Wall. He glanced over and saw Joel glaring in the boys' direction.

Joel saw Matthew and looked away as well, offering no explanation.

 ** _…_**

It had only taken a minute for Ellie and Heather to relax.

After an hour of listening to music in Ellie's room and playing a few games of cards, Heather extracted a few small jars and a paint brush from her brown bag.

"Here," Heather said to Ellie after she finished laying the jars across the bed. "Give me your hand."

Ellie held out a hand. "Where the hell you find nail polish?"

"In my house."

"You must have lived at a girl's house," Ellie said. She looked around. "They have all the fun shit. Boy houses are boring."

"I found it in one of my bathroom cupboards," Heather said with a shrug. "I've always wanted to try these out, but never got around to it. I figured now was as good as ever."

"You haven't tried it and you're testing it _my_ hand?" Ellie said skeptically, dramatically pulling her hand back.

"I'm a doctor…sort of," Heather tried to reply slyly. "I figure I can fix something if it goes wrong. If you want, I could go first."

"I'm good," Ellie assured Heather with a laugh, brushing her long hair behind her ears. She extended her arm again. "Bring it."

Winston walked into the room and laid down beside the bed.

Heather slowly uncapped one of the jars.

Winston's ears rose and he sniffed the jar before backing up and sneezing, eliciting laughter from the two girls.

Heather opened the second container and held both jars up to the light. The first had a blue tint. The other was red. Heather put down the jars and picked up the paint brush.

"What do you want? Red or Blue?" Heather asked Ellie.

"What do you think?" Ellie replied.

"Red."

Heather grabbed onto Ellie's hand slowly began to paint Ellie's nails. She delicately painted until Ellie's thumbnail was covered before moving to the next finger.

"So, who taught you to be a doctor?" Ellie asked, breaking the momentary silence.

"My mom," Heather answered. Her eyes twitched slightly but she didn't look away from Ellie's hand. "She was a doctor in the Seattle Quarantine Zone."

"I hear things got really bad there," Ellie said cautiously.

Heather didn't look up as she spoke. "My mom told me that people flocked to it because it used to the center of our government or whatever," she explained. "Once people figured out that the zone didn't have any more food or safety than the others… things got nasty."

"Was you're mom part of the military or the Fireflies?" Ellie inquired.

"Not exactly," Heather answered, moving on to another nail. "Mom believed that any patient who walked in deserved treatment. Even the assholes."

Heather's hand slipped and some polish ended up on Ellie's finger.

"I heard my mom was a nurse," Ellie mumbled. She looked up at Heather, surprised at herself for bringing up her mother at all.

Heather, seeming to notice Ellie's hesitation to talk further, shrugged and continued painting Ellie's nail.

Ellie sighed. "I wonder if she could have taught me to be a doctor. Or if I would even have the patience for it."

"It's not easy," Heather admitted. She smiled slightly. "I could give you a few pointers though."

"No thanks," Ellie said, sitting back. "I think I've played doctor more than enough times in my life."

"My mom always said that enough was never enough," Heather replied. "The more you understand about… conditions, the more you're able to understand the problems that come with them and actually be able to help someone."

"Meaning?" Ellie asked.

Heather thought for a moment before answering. "Meaning that if you're a good… 'approachable' person like my mom was, people are more likely to let you help them without struggling. Plus, she told me it helps the victim if they feel that the person they're asking to potentially save their life knows what they're doing," she said simply. She moved on to another finger. "All of it's pretty complicated to put into words."

"Well, I'm glad you're the same as your mom," Ellie said, receiving a small smile from Heather. Ellie looked at the bite on her arm. "With my arm… I never really trusted doctors."

"Well, people don't trust me often either," Heather said, moving to Ellie's ring finger. "They think I'm too young."

"Age assumptions are for wimps," Ellie grunted.

"I will admit, it was nice to be trusted earlier today," Heather began. She motioned around the room. "Honestly, I was nervous about this whole thing, but I'm glad I did it."

"Feels good to be able to trust more than a few people," Ellie said glancing at her nails. "Doesn't it?"

"I think I could come around to expanding my social circle," Heather answered. She took a deep breath. "To a point, at least."

"You seemed to trust Matthew," Ellie teased.

Heather blushed slightly and moved on to Ellie's pinky finger.

"I usually get a good read on people," Heather replied.

Ellie saw a look in Heather's eye that suggested there was a dark reason for that.

 ** _…_**

Matthew and Joel sat in silence as the night wore on.

The three boys down the Wall grew louder.

There was a rustling on the ground a few feet below the group. A small raccoon crawled out from under a small crack between two RVs. Just as it was about to move into the forest beyond, one of the three boys dropped a snowball on its head.

The Raccoon hissed and ran back under the RVs. The boys laughed and grabbed another chunk of snow as the raccoon slowly poked its head out.

"Jerks," Matthew spat.

"Yeah," Joel agreed.

Matthew noticed a familiar dislike in Joel's voice. When he looked over, he saw that Joel was glaring at one of the three boys in particular.

Matthew lowered his voice. "I haven't seen you glare like that since you first met me…" Matthew's voice trailed off. He looked at the boy who had just made another snowball. Matthew looked back at Joel.

The older man hadn't averted his eyes.

Matthew looked down. "That guy over there flirted with Ellie once, didn't he?"

"He was persistent," Joel said quietly.

"I'm surprised Ellie didn't beat him," Matthew commented as the boy dropped another snowball on the baby raccoon. He raised his voice, speaking to the group of boys. "Hey, you wanna cut that out? It's just trying to get back home."

The boy that Joel had been glaring at smirked in Matthew's direction and dropped another snowball.

"I didn't let Ellie beat him," Joel grunted. "It was pretty soon after we got here, and I wasn't sure what would happen."

Matthew watched as another snowball landed on the raccoon's head.

The racoon hissed again.

Matthew turned, looked closer at the tree line in front of him, and noticed a pair of eyes and a black and grey face.

"That's enough," Matthew muttered.

The boy down the Wall picked up a handful of snow that also contained a large chunk of ice. Just as the boy threw the ice high in the air, Matthew leveled his crossbow and fired. The arrow intercepted the chunk of ice and it landed a few inches away from the raccoon.

The baby raccoon took off and reunited with the other racoon. The two animals disappeared into the forest.

The three boys glared at Matthew and sat quietly for a moment before bursting into loud conversation once again.

As Matthew turned away, he noticed that Joel was making of a point of looking in the opposite direction.

"Maturity isn't defined by age," Matthew grunted.

"That coming from the person who wasted an arrow on snow," Joel countered.

"Ice," Matthew corrected. "And I didn't say that I was free of guilt."

The night continued on in silence.

Even at midnight, the boys down the Wall were still engaged in loud, obnoxious conversation.

Matthew heard the crunching of snow behind him and looked over his shoulder, spotting Maria. She was wearing a black jacket and blue jeans.

"Hey!" Maria said loudly to the three boys. "Zip it and do your jobs or go home and remain under curfew!"

The boys immediately quieted down, turning toward the forest.

Maria looked up at Matthew. "What are you still doing here?"

"I've got this shift," Matthew answered cautiously, confused by the question.

"I heard you took part of the shift this morning," Maria said, keeping her voice even.

"Only a few hours," Matthew replied.

"At five in the morning?" Maria pressed.

"I couldn't sleep," Matthew admitted.

"Well, you should go home and sleep _now_ ," Maria ordered. "I'll take the rest of the shift. Besides, I needed to speak to Joel."

Matthew opened his mouth to argue, but Joel interrupted, speaking quietly so only Matthew could hear. "I've learned to just do what the lady says and not argue," the older man advised.

Matthew nodded and descended the ladder, thanking Maria. He glanced up and saw the lead boy on the Wall glaring in his direction.

Matthew turned away and started walking back to the house.

 ** _…_**

Joel moved aside as Maria joined him on the Wall.

It was a few minutes before Maria looked at Joel and began asking questions. She started with the one he was expecting. "Who's the boy?"

 ** _…_**

Matthew opened the door to the house and stopped upon hearing laughter from the room down the hall. He quietly set his crossbow aside and moved to the slightly closed door to Ellie's room.

"Guys suck at being patients," Ellie was saying.

"I know," the second person said.

Matthew took a small step back in surprise, recognizing Heather's voice instantly.

The doctor continued. "They won't admit something's wrong until its life threatening."

"Exactly!" Ellie said excitedly.

Matthew heard the bed creak as Ellie rocked on her heels.

Ellie groaned. "I mean, Matthew didn't even say anything about the fucking bullet that went through his shoulder for like, four hours!"

"He could have lost his arm," Heather commented.

"I know!" Ellie said dramatically. "That's what _I_ said!"

Matthew smiled and slowly moved away from the door. He started to realize how tired he actually was.

After removing his ponytail, Matthew laid down on the couch.

 ** _…_**

After another two hours, there was a few minutes of silence.

Ellie sat down on the bed and continued to pet Winston.

After cleaning up and recapping the jars of nail polish, Heather sat down on the bed beside Ellie.

"Tonight was cool," Heather said quietly. "I don't really hang out with people that often."

"Just the cat?" Ellie asked. "What does 'Arata' mean anyway?"

"It means… new," Heather answered. "Fresh."

"A lot of that going around," Ellie said quietly.

"I was told by…" Heather hesitated for a moment before continuing. "I heard that you were out there most of your life. And then you went back."

"And?" Ellie urged, wondering what Heather was getting at.

"You seem really… calm and easy going for being out there so long," Heather finally said.

"Well," Ellie said, intertwining her fingers. "I was out there for a long time and… I left because I… I didn't know how to do, you know, _this._ And I needed to finish something. Plus, I'm not that calm or all that easy going. I've just learned how to keep some of it covered up."

"You're back in Jackson," Heather said lightly. "So, you obviously have a better grip on this life than you did before leaving."

Ellie lowered her hands. "I'm trying to make this work."

"I imagine that's been difficult with the…" Heather quickly looked away, seemingly scolding herself for the senseless comment. She looked at Ellie.

Ellie shrugged the comment off.

Heather smiled sadly. "I guess I should really be thanking _you_. I don't really have that many friends here."

"You have one more," Ellie said after a moment.

Heather smiled gratefully.

Ellie looked at the pun book Joey had made that was now sitting beside the bed. She looked at Heather again. "How do you know Joey?"

"What?" Heather asked, startled by question.

"How do you know Joey?" Ellie repeated. "When I asked if you wanted to hang, you said that I lived across from _Joey's_ house."

"Oh," Heather said, her facing turning slightly red. "Yeah. He sort of… found me."

"You _like_ him!" Ellie exclaimed. "You _like_ Joey!"

"Ellie," Heather said quietly. "Can we drop this?"

Ellie forced herself to calm down but had no intention of stopping. "Does he know?"

"It's… complicated," Heather said. "We're… we don't come from the same experiences."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Great. He finally has a cool girl that likes him, and he blows it."

"Thanks…" Heather said with an embarrassed smile. "I think."

"Sorry," Ellie said after a few seconds. "I've got to take shots at Joey when I get them. I've been gone a while."

"Try to leave me out the line of fire," Heather begged. "Joey's a nice guy. It's just he's not all that…"

"Forward," Ellie completed. She leaned back. "That's just Joey. Forward is not in his vocabulary. Unlike _someone_ I just met."

"I'm never going to be able to forget that, am I?

"Nope."

 ** _…_**

Joel arrived home after a few hours. He opened the door and closed it softly, setting aside his backpack.

As he made his way into the kitchen, he heard Ellie laugh loudly from her room. He glanced at the door and saw it partially open. The light was still on.

Joel shook his head and moved toward the door, speaking as he opened it. "You guys should at least be attempting to slee—"

Joel stopped short as he saw who was sitting on the bed next to Ellie.

Heather sheepishly held up her hand in greeting and looked away.

Joel noticed that the front of the doctor's shirt was soaked and half a bottle of soda lay on the bed.

Ellie looked at Joel. "What?" she asked innocently.

"I uh…" Joel wasn't sure what to say. _Ellie's never had friends over._ "I didn't know you were having company. How are you, Heather?"

"Good," the blond girl answered softy. She folded her legs closer to her body.

Ellie took Joel's silence as a hint. She turned to Heather. "Sorry about the soda thing. I couldn't resist. I'll be right back."

Joel led Ellie into the kitchen. "Ellie—"

"I know, I know," Ellie started. "I should have let you know she was coming, but I didn't know she'd still be here and I lost track of time."

"It's fine," Joel assured her. "It's a little late, but it's fine."

Ellie nodded, relaxing.

"You've never had company," Joel observed quietly. He looked at Ellie's hands. "Or… fingernail polish."

"Yeah…" Ellie said, her voice trailing off as she looked at her hands.

Joel yawned, glanced at the couch, and saw Matthew fast asleep. Joel turned back to Ellie. "Don't stay up too much longer, okay?"

"Alright," Ellie said.

Joel noted the small hint of disappointment in her voice and turned away.

"Joel," Ellie said, stopping him with a hand on his shoulder.

Joel turned back to her.

Ellie looked away for a moment before looking back at him. She let out a breath and continued. "Thanks for bringing me back here. I never thought I could have…" Ellie motioned to her room. "This."

"You're welcome," Joel replied. He lowered his voice and glanced toward the couch again. "Remember that it wasn't just me. And in the end, you _chose_ to come back."

Ellie nodded returned to her room.

Joel walked up the stairs and grabbed a blanket from his closet. He deposited it on the couch next to Matthew before heading for his own bed.

 ** _…_**

Ellie walked back into her bedroom as Heather stood.

"I should get going," the doctor said with a yawn. "It _is_ getting late."

"You don't have to go," Ellie said quickly. She blushed and looked away for a moment.  
"What I mean is, we have plenty of room if you… you know, wanna stay over."

"I'd love to, Ellie. But I prefer…" Heather hesitated and averted her eyes. She gulped and shrugged, speaking lightly. "I have to get home to my cat."

"Alight," Ellie said, accepting the answer.

Ellie walked Heather to the door.

Heather smiled and thanked Ellie again before exiting the house and making her way down the street.

Ellie turned around and saw Matthew asleep on the couch.

Ellie scolded herself for completely forgetting about him. She walked over, placed the blanket over the young man, and planted a kiss on his forehead. _I hope he won't be mad._

Ellie yawned again and walked to her room, collapsing on her bed.


	3. The First Three Days: Day II

Matthew awoke and quickly sat up, once again forgetting where he was. Once oriented, he looked up at a clock and saw that it was seven in the morning.

Matthew slowly stood and moved to Ellie's room, dragging the blanket with him.

Ellie was still asleep.

Matthew sat down against the bed and rested his eyes.

 ** _…_**

Ellie awoke and noticed Matthew sitting against her bed, half asleep.

Ellie smiled and slowly got out of bed.

Matthew's eyes opened. "Morning," he said, standing and stretching.

"Hey," Ellie said, grabbing clothes from her closet. "You sleep okay?"

"As good as I can," Matthew said after a moment. "Waking up in the same place twice in a row is…"

"Weird. I get it," Ellie said. "I have to get used to it again too."

"Kids," Joel said loudly from the kitchen. "Breakfast is ready."

Matthew exited the room and Ellie closed to the door behind him. She got dressed, pulling on a purple sweater and a clean pair of blue jeans.

Ellie made sure that her necklace was secured around her neck. She picked up her switchblade knife. After a moment, she put it down.

When Ellie walked into the kitchen, Matthew was already sitting at the table.

Joel, dressed in a blue sweater and jeans, grabbed a large plate of toast and eggs off the counter and placed it in the center before handing Matthew a spoon and a plate.

Ellie grabbed a plate of her own off the counter before returning to the table herself.

Joel sat across from Matthew and Ellie, handing them silverware.

Matthew grabbed a small piece of toast and two spoonful's worth of eggs.

Ellie grabbed the serving plate and her spoon, placing a large serving of eggs on the young man's plate.

"We've got enough food here," Ellie told Matthew. "You don't have to starve yourself."

"Maybe I'm not hungry," Matthew countered.

"Bullshit," Ellie said nudging him with her arm and serving herself. "Everyone's hungry all the time."

"She's right, kid," Joel said. He took what was left on the serving plate.

Matthew began to eat his food, taking small bites at a time.

After few seconds of silent eating, Joel spoke again. "What are the plans for today?"

"When's our shift on the Wall?" Matthew asked.

"Same as last night," Joel said.

"Good," Matthew said.

Ellie rolled her eyes and looked at Joel. "Was I as mopey as him?"

"Worse," Joel replied.

"Oh, har har," Ellie said.

Matthew smiled slightly and took another bite of his toast.

Ellie looked at the ripped sleeve of his sweater.

"What?" Matthew asked, noticing her stare.

"I think today we should go to the shop and get you some new clothes," Ellie said through a mouthful of food. "Besides, I need to clean it up again and give Clarisse a few pointers."

"Don't get into any trouble," Joel advised, taking another sip of his coffee. "Just so you know, Maria's invited us all over for dinner tomorrow night."

"Cool," Ellie said. She looked at Matthew, who remained silent. Ellie shrugged. "I'll be there."

"Anything else happening?" Joel asked.

Ellie hesitated a moment. She took a deep breath and leaned forward. "I want to tell Tim. Tonight."

"I want to be there," Joel reminded her.

"Then we'll do it before your shift," Ellie promised.

"Why so soon?" Joel asked.

Ellie shrugged. "It's just… I need this to be done."

"I'll be there, too," Matthew said quietly.

Ellie gave him a smile.

"Just be prepared," Joel told them.

Ellie knew that he was just as nervous as she was.

Joel took another bite. "I know you trust Tim, but we don't know what'll happen or how he'll react."

A half hour later, Ellie and Matthew walked side by side down to the shop.

Ellie and Matthew stayed silent for a while before Ellie stopped. "I'm sorry about last night," she said.

"Why?" Matthew asked.

Ellie intertwined her fingers and sighed. "I kind of… forgot about you. I'm sorry."

Matthew sighed as well. "Ellie, despite what you _want_ to do, it's not really your job to make me… to make sure I fit in. I have to do some of this on my own."

"That won't stop me from trying to help," Ellie said defiantly.

"And as for last night," Matthew began, sticking his hands in his pockets. "I was really happy for you. Being close to somebody and feeling safe… It's the reason I wanted you to come back here."

"What's the reason _you_ came back here?" Ellie asked, poking his arm.

"You."

"Good answer."

"What did you want to do after this?" Matthew asked.

Ellie was silent for a few seconds. "I think after we're done here, we should go over to the park," she said thoughtfully. "You know, fix it up."

"Sounds good," Matthew said genuinely.

"You like that spot, right?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah," Matthew assured her. "It's familiar but… safe.

Ellie nodded, assured. As they walked up to the shop Ellie continued. "When we _do_ get it fixed up, we can have a real date."

"What was the other night?" Matthew asked, opening the door for her.

"Location first. Date later."

Ellie walked through the door and moved to the counter.

Matthew stayed off to the side.

"What do you need?" the shopkeeper asked, walking out of the back room with two apples in his hand. He still wore the same outfit from the day before.

"Clothes," Ellie answered. She looked around. "And also… the net over there."

Matthew looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

Ellie winked and looked at the shopkeeper.

Matthew looked at the shopkeeper as well. "We'll work for them," he offered.

"Help Ellie clean up the shop," the old man grunted.

After a few hours of work, Ellie and Matthew had cleaned and sorted out the shop.

"That didn't take nearly as long as last time," Ellie said, moving toward the clothing. She grabbed a few pairs of jeans and a couple of shirts and sweaters, offering them to Matthew. "Thanks for the help."

"Anytime," Matthew replied, tucking the clothes under his arm.

They looked up as the door opened and Tim and Clarisse walked in. Tim was wearing a dark green sweater and brown jeans. Clarisse wore a black sweater and black jeans.

Clarisse immediately ran to Ellie and gave her a hug.

Ellie held the little girl for a few seconds before straightening up. "We got the place all cleaned up," she informed the little girl. "Why don't you take a look around?"

Clarisse ran off after accepting an apple from the shopkeeper.

Tim watched his sister go with a smile and turned to Ellie and Matthew.

Both stood silently.

"Did I miss something?" Tim asked cautiously.

"Tim…" Ellie cleared her throat and continued. "Would you mind dropping by the house tonight, around six? There's something I want to talk to you about?"

"Sure…" Tim said, scratching the back of his head. He looked around. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes," Matthew assured him. He took a step forward. "But it's important, Tim."

"Alright," Tim said, looking somewhat nervous. He shrugged. "I'll see you tonight, then."

"Yeah," Ellie said, relaxing. She grabbed the large fishing net off a nearby shelf. "Matthew and I should get going."

"We'll see you tonight," Matthew said to Tim.

Tim nodded and moved aside as they exited.

The door closed and Ellie sighed. "This is going to be hard."

"It'll be what it'll be," Matthew said calmly.

They reached the house and walked into Ellie's room.

Ellie grabbed a few hangers.

"So, are you going to go to the dinner tomorrow?" Ellie asked Matthew as she hung up a shirt.

"Do I have a choice?" Matthew asked lightly.

"Well, I'm going," Ellie replied. "So, unless you want to be alone, and I know how weird that is, you should come."

"Maybe I'll just take a shift on the Wall," Matthew countered with a chuckle.

"If you want Maria to come after you, be my guest."

"On second thought…." Matthew allowed his sentence to trail off and handed Ellie a pair of jeans. "Anyone else being invited?"

"I was thinking of inviting…" Ellie shut her mouth and waited before continuing. "I was thinking that it should just be us."

"No, you weren't," Matthew argued. "You wanted to invite your friend from last night."

Ellie looked away for a moment and didn't respond. "That could be awkward."

"Why?" Matthew asked, closing the closet door. "Because of what happened yesterday at her place? Or are you grasping for reasons to avoid taking risks."

"You _do_ remember what I'm going to tell Tim tonight, right?" Ellie asked in frustration. "And I don't think you're one to talk about avoiding—"

Matthew simply folded his arms and raised an eyebrow.

Ellie sighed. "I don't… I don't want it to go away."

"From what I heard last night, I don't think it's going away," Matthew said softly. "It took me months to see you that happy for the first time. It took Heather—"

"You don't get it," Ellie interrupted. She took a step back and sat on the bed. Emotion rode on the edge of her voice. "Almost every time that I get close to someone… that I had gotten close to someone, I ended up alone. I almost ended up alone when I traveled with Joel. And I almost lost another friend after Boston."

"But you didn't," Matthew reminded her, joining her on the bed. "You didn't. And you won't here."

"How can you guarantee that?" Ellie asked.

"I can't," Matthew admitted. "But you have to decide if it's worth the risk."

Ellie glanced at the closed window and saw a faint reflection of her necklace. She looked at Matthew. "Let's just take one risk at a time. You ready to go?"

Matthew nodded and they exited the house.

As they trudged through the snow, they heard someone calling behind him.

It was Heather. She wore a black pair of jeans and her white sweater.

Ellie and Matthew slowed to a stop.

Heather stopped as well and looked as if she was trying her best not to meet Matthew's eye.

"Here," Heather said. She held out a CD case to Ellie. "I had this lying around the house and I don't have a CD player. I figure someone should have it."

"Thanks," Ellie said grabbing the CD case. She read the back of the case. "I've never heard of this guy."

"Well…" Heather shrugged. "I'll uh, I'll see you around."

"Yeah," Ellie said, holding the CD case in her hand. "I'm free again tonight. You wanna hang around nine?"

"Sure." Heather said. "I'll see you then."

Heather turned away.

As Ellie and Matthew turned away, Ellie looked behind her at Heather again.

The young doctor was staring down at the ground as she walked. She didn't see one of the two men walking down the street. As she accidently bumped shoulders with one, Heather's hand drifted to her sweater pocket.

Ellie saw a combination of fear and anger on Heather's face. The look was gone a second later as she accepted the man's apology.

As Heather moved her hand away from her pocket, Ellie thought she saw something thin and silvery.

"Sure you don't want to go hang out with Heather for a bit?" Matthew asked. There was no jealousy or frustration in his voice.

Ellie remained silent and continued walking.

 ** _…_**

"Alright," Matthew said as they made their way to the park. "I'll bite. What's with the net."

"You have your knife?" Ellie asked.

"No," Matthew admitted, surprised that he had forgotten it. "It's back at the house."

"We can deal with it another time then," Ellie said quickly.

Matthew looked behind them again. "You know what?" he said lightly. "Meet me there. I'll grab the knife."

Ellie grabbed Matthew's shirt and turned him around. "What are you doing?"

"Getting the knife."

"Bullshit," Ellie said quietly. "What are you doing, Matthew?"

"Something you wouldn't like if I told you," Matthew finally answered. "I'll be twenty minutes tops."

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I'll see you in a bit."

 ** _…_**

Joel took a walk with Winston and found Tommy helping a man construct a wooden barricade going up over an old semi near a corner section of the Wall.

"Tommy," Joel called as his little brother picked up a hammer. "Can I have a word?"

"Sure," Tommy said, discarding some broken nails into the back pocket of his blue jeans and grabbing new nails from his black coat.

"In private?" Joel added.

Tommy glanced down and saw the look on Joel's face. He looked at the man next to him. "Thanks for the help, Sean. We'll take it from here."

The man nodded and jumped down, handing his gloves to Joel.

Joel took the gloves and put them on before climbing onto the semi as Winston laid down on the street.

"What are you about to do?" Tommy asked, getting straight to the point.

"It's not me," Joel said, taking the hammer from Tommy and grabbing a small nail. "It's Ellie."

"Is she alright?" Tommy asked, holding the board in place as Joel started to pound in the nail with hammer. Tommy waited until Joel was finished. "It's not the boy, is it?"

"No," Joel assured him, grabbing another nail. "You know the two kids I sent back here with a message a few months after I left?"

"Of course," Tommy said, taking the nail and hammer from Joel to reinforce his side of the board. "Tim and Clarisse. They've done pretty well for themselves here."

"Ellie wants to tell him," Joel said. "Tim."

Tommy's first stroke of the hammer missed its mark. He looked at Joel. "Tell him…"

"Yeah," Joel grunted.

"When?"

"Tonight. Before my shift on the Wall."

"You want me to be there?" Tommy asked skeptically.

"Not exactly."

"Then what?"

"I just wanted to give you a heads up," Joel said. "If Tim comes to you or Maria—"

"Wait a second," Tommy interrupted, sitting down. "You're letting her do this?"

"Yes," Joel answered after a moment of silence. "Yes. I am."

"Why?" Tommy pressed. "A year ago, you would never have let her take the risk. She's barely been back a day and a half. What makes you think this is a good idea?"

Joel looked away for a moment and sighed. He sat down next to Tommy. "When I was out there trying to get her back… I spent a lot of time trying to control her. All I did was drive her away."

"What changed?" Tommy asked.

Joel looked at his brother. "In the end, she chose to come back here even though I was willing to let her… I can't take these choices away from her anymore. Not if I want her to feel safe here."

Tommy scratched the back of his head. "What does the kid think?"

"I agree with Matthew," Joel said firmly. "Tim would come to you, him, or Maria before doing anything else."

Tommy nodded. "I got your back."

 ** _…_**

Matthew knocked on Heather's door.

Heather opened the door a moment later. "Matthew," she said in surprise. A look of concern crossed her features. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Matthew said quickly. "Yeah. Everything's fine."

Heather nodded, looking relieved. She smiled at him sheepishly. "So… look I'm sorry about yesterday morning. I… well, I didn't know you two were together."

"It's fine," Matthew assured her. "I probably could have made that clear earlier on. That's not why I'm here."

"So, why are you here?" Heather asked, relaxing.

"There's a dinner at Tommy's tomorrow," Matthew explained. "I think it'd mean a lot… a lot to Ellie if you'd come."

"I'm guessing Ellie doesn't know you're asking me," Heather said, raising an eyebrow.

"You're right," Matthew confirmed. "But she wants to."

"So, why are _you_ asking me instead of her?" Heather asked. There wasn't a hint of anger or frustration in her voice. Only curiosity. "She seems like a pretty strong, outgoing gal."

Matthew looked around the street for a moment. "Can I tell you something in confidence?"

"Doctor-patient confidentiality," Heather replied.

"What?" Matthew asked.

Heather shook her head. "Nothing. Go ahead."

Matthew took a deep breath. "I spent most of my life out there alone. Ellie spent most of her life out there too," he said carefully. "When I met her about a year ago, she had left Jackson and she…"

Heather waited as Matthew found the right words.

Matthew looked Heather in the eye. "It didn't sound like she had many friends outside her family here. I know last night meant a lot to her."

"Okay," Heather said in understanding. "I'll uh, I'll be there."

"I'll see you then," Matthew said, stepping away from the house.

"Matthew."

Matthew turned back to Heather.

Heather smiled sadly. "Before last night… let's just say that I don't have a big social circle here either. It means a lot that you and Ellie… thanks."

Matthew nodded and walked away as Heather closed the door.

Suddenly, a young man stepped around the corner of a house in front of Matthew. It was one of the three young men from the Wall the night before. He still wore the same black clothing.

Matthew nodded respectfully and went to move around the young man.

The boy stepped in front of Matthew, blocking his path.

Matthew took a step back and glanced behind him as the other two young men from the night before moved forward from behind.

"We got your back, Jeff," one of the young men said to the boy in front of Matthew.

Matthew sighed. "There's no need for that. Excuse me."

Jeff reached out blocked Matthew's path.

"Seriously?" Matthew asked, getting annoyed.

"You think just because you're a favorite and because you've been out there for _so_ long that means you can be a dick?" Jeff asked.

"I don't remember asking to be a favorite and I don't want special treatment," Matthew replied evenly.

"Oh," Jeff said loudly. "So, you don't want special treatment, you just think you're so badass that nobody else can have any fun."

Matthew rolled his eyes and noticed that there was red around Jeff's eyes and he looked sick to his stomach. Matthew risked a glance over his own shoulder and noticed that Jeff's friends also looked the same.

"I have issues with people's idea of fun involving pestering animals," Matthew explained crisply. "I'll admit that my reaction may not have been the most mature, but it happened. And it's done."

Jeff and his buddies chuckled and took a step closer, placing Matthew within easy reach.

"Are we done?" Matthew asked pointedly. "Because I think we're all more mature than _this_."

Jeff spat on the ground and took another step forward.

Matthew readied himself for a fight.

"Jeff, knock it off."

Matthew looked over Jeff's shoulder and saw Joey walking down the street.

Joey stopped behind Jeff, folding his arms over his tattered blue jacket. He wore black jeans and had a walkie-talkie clipped to his side.

"This guy isn't worth the trouble," Joey grunted. "He thinks he's more than he actually is. Let's just get out of here. We've got better places to be."

There was a moment of tense silence.

Matthew looked Joey in the eye and found that the younger man's face was surprisingly unreadable. Matthew was relieved to notice that there was no redness nor sickness about Joey.

"Whatever," Jeff finally said, moving past Matthew with a rough shove as his goons moved to follow.

"Joey," Matthew said quietly as the younger man moved past him.

"Back off," Joey snapped, throwing a glare at Matthew and moving on without another word.

 ** _…_**

Ellie turned as Matthew walked into the park. He was staring straight ahead and his eyes were unmoving.

"What's up?" Ellie asked.

"Nothing," Matthew said, shaking his head. "So… what are we looking at, here?"

Ellie turned back to the large overgrown trees blocking view of the spot they had found. "I want to kinda clear this out a little. I don't want to see past the trees, but these branches are driving me nuts. And I don't want to be stabbed as we walk by."

"And?" Matthew pressed, knowing Ellie wasn't finished.

"And I want to do the same thing to the inside too."

Matthew laughed. "Well, at least we'll be occupied."

"That's the plan. But first…" Ellie said, hefting the net she had taken from the shop.

"Hammock."

Ellie moved into the small clearing behind the brush and stood before the two parallel trees. After instructing Matthew to cut of lower branches and limbs on the two trees, Ellie started to stretch out the net and estimate its length.

Half an hour later, Matthew had cleared the two trees of any unneeded branches. Ellie borrowed the knife and started to make specific cuts in the net. Matthew stood off to the side and watched curiously.

"Alright," Ellie said. She handed one side of the net to Matthew and slowly started to step back until they had the net set between the two trees. "Let's stretch this as far as we can… there we go and… tie.

"Have you ever done this?" Matthew asked, tying on his end.

"Not exactly," Ellie answered, tying her own end. "But Riley and I had always wanted to."

"What stopped you?" Matthew asked as he tightened knot he had made.

"We couldn't figure out how to sneak another bunk bed into my room," Ellie replied, stepping away from her tree.

Matthew smiled as they stood in front of the hammock they had made together.

"It's nice doing things like this again," Ellie said after a minute.

"It's nice doing things like this, period." Matthew added.

They stood in silence for a few seconds before Ellie sighed. "We should get back."

 ** _…_**

Joel finished cleaning up the living room. He shut off the lights in the kitchen as the door opened.

"Ellie," Joel said without turning. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"Do what?"

Joel turned in surprise and saw Tim walk through the door with Clarisse close behind. Joel didn't answer. He shook Tim's hand and nodded to Clarisse.

"Is Ellie here?" Clarisse asked.

"No," Joel answered gently. "But I think Winston is in Ellie's room if you want to visit. Feel free to put on some music too."

"Okay," Clarisse said happily.

Tim watched as Clarisse rounded the corner and shut the door to Ellie's room.

Joel offered Tim a bottle of water.

Tim shook his head. "You didn't answer my question," he said cautiously, turning to Joel.

The door opened behind Tim. Matthew and Ellie walked inside.

"Just try to keep an open mind," Joel said quietly to Tim.

"Tim," Matthew said in greeting. He walked behind the couch as Ellie sat down in front of him. Matthew put a hand on her shoulder. "Thanks for coming."

They heard music start to filter through Ellie's door.

Matthew glanced at Joel.

Joel nodded and positioned himself next to the hallway, close to Ellie's door.

Tim sat down in a chair across from Ellie. "What's going on?" he asked nervously.

Ellie gulped and took a deep breath. "This isn't going to be easy for you to understand," she began. "So, I'm just going to show you and we'll see where we go from there."

Ellie took off her winter coat and set it aside. She lifted up the sleeve of her shirt. The only thing blocking Tim's view of the bite was one of the dark sleeves Matthew had made.

Ellie slowly removed the sleeve and turned her hand, exposing the bite.

Tim sat back in the chair and his mouth dropped open. His hand moved a fraction of an inch toward his belt where he used to keep his knives. He blinked a few times, but never looked away from the bite.

"I got it a long time ago," Ellie continued quietly. "I, um… I'm immune. I've never been infected. I swear."

Tim didn't answer for a full thirty seconds.

Joel watched as the boy's eyes darted from the door of Ellie's room, to the bite, and back to the door.

Tim shifted uncomfortably in the chair. "Was it there when you met her?" Tim asked Matthew, still staring at the bite.

"Yes," Matthew answered calmly. "I saw it the night I met her. That was a month before you found us in the barn."

Tim's eyes flicked to Joel before returning to the bite.

"It's true," Joel assured him. "I've known her longer than anyone."

At that moment, they heard the music in the room shut off and Clarisse exited.

Ellie grabbed a pillow and placed it on her arm, giving Clarisse a one-handed hug.

Joel glanced at Tim as the twelve-year-old boy immediately stood. He stopped for a moment and looked down, grabbing Clarisse's arm and moving her away.

"Can you go talk to Winston for a little longer?" Tim asked her.

"Can I talk to Ellie after that?" Clarisse asked hopefully.

"Go on," Tim said, leading her halfway around the couch.

Clarisse returned to Winston closed the door to Ellie's room.

Ellie stood. "I just wanted to tell you," she said, keeping her voice low. "I just wanted you to know because I—"

"I need three days," Tim interrupted.

Ellie fell silent.

Tim didn't look her in the eye. "If you are… I need three days."

Ellie glanced at Matthew and Joel.

They nodded.

"Okay," Ellie said softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Tim called Clarisse. The little girl ran out and Tim intercepted her. "It's time to go."

Clarisse looked between everyone. "But I wanted to talk to—"

"Now, Clarisse."

"But I—"

"No 'buts'," Tim said calmly but firmly. "Dinner's soon."

Tim moved Clarisse to the door. Moments later, they were gone.

Matthew let out a breath and looked at Ellie, who was staring at the floor.

Joel sat down on a kitchen chair. "That went as well as we could expect it to."

"I think it'll be fine," Matthew said after a few seconds. "Tim's… he's a lot more mature than he was a year ago."

Ellie stood and walked into her room without a word, shutting the door behind her.

Matthew walked toward her room.

Joel stopped him with a shake of his head. "Let her handle it, kid. Besides, our shift starts in fifteen minutes."

Matthew nodded and grabbed his crossbow from beside the front door.

Joel glanced at the door to Ellie's room as music began to play again.

 ** _…_**

Upon entering her room, and turning on her music, Ellie felt her ears begin to burn. Her body broke out in a cold sweat as she started to let in the fears of what could happen next. She grabbed a hair tie, put her long up hair up into a pony-tail, and laid on her bed as the music continued to play.

Ellie barely heard the door close as Matthew and Joel departed.

 _What if I can never see Clarisse again?_

 _What if Tim tells someone and we have to…_

 _What if Tim takes Clarisse back out there?_

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Ellie jumped as someone tapped on the closed window. She looked over and saw Heather outside.

Ellie hopped off the bed and opened the window. "Heather… sorry I was…"

"You okay?" Heather asked with concern. "You look—"

"I'm fine," Ellie said quickly. She forced a smile. "You could have come in the front door."

"Well I knocked for, like, two minutes," Heather replied. She looked away for a moment. "If you prefer to be alone, we can hang out another time…"

"No, no," Ellie said with a laugh. "It's fine. You can come in."

Ellie backed up as Heather hesitantly climbed through the window.

"Betcha you've never had someone crawling in through your bedroom window before," Heather said as she helped Ellie close the window.

"Not _this_ window," Ellie replied mischievously. She looked around the room and cleared her throat. "So… poker?"

"Sure."

 ** _…_**

Joel and Matthew sat in silence for the first few hours of their shift, lost in their own thoughts.

Matthew stood slightly as he heard a twig snap on the ground below. A small raccoon ran to the forest beyond.

Joel looked at him and broke the silence. "Do you think this was a good idea?"

Matthew sat back down and thought a moment before answering. "It wasn't our place to stop Ellie, but… Tim's a good guy. I think he'll come around."

"You barely know the kid," Joel said calmly. "You think you can trust him from one night out there?"

"Ellie trusts him," Matthew countered. "And she wants him to trust all three of us. That's gonna have to be enough."

Joel didn't reply. He was silent for another few minutes before looking at Matthew again. The boy was staring straight ahead.

"Something else is on your mind," Joel said.

"Let's just take care of this first," Matthew said, thinking back to his encounter with Joey and Jeff.

 ** _…_**

Ellie stared at the cards in her hand.

It was almost one o'clock in the morning. Heather and Ellie had played several different card games, listened to Ellie's entire collection of music, and were back to cards.

"There's no shame in folding," Heather said.

Ellie jumped at the sound of the other girl's voice and folded, placing her cards face-up on the bed.

"Okay," Heather said as she set down her own cards, not even looking at Ellie's. "Something's wrong."

"Nothing's wrong," Ellie insisted.

"Something's wrong," Heather repeated. "Last night you never once folded, even when you were totally screwed."

"It's complicated," Ellie said, surprised at Heather's ability to read her.

Heather nodded and stood, turning off the CD player before sitting on the bed again. "Ellie… you're my patient," she said slowly, fixing Ellie with an intent stare. "With my patients…the three of them I have, I have a doctor-patient confidentiality vow."

Ellie laughed, despite her inner turmoil. "What the fuck is that?"

"It basically means that I can't repeat anything you say to me to anyone else."

"And?" Ellie pressed.

"And I just wanted you to know that you can trust me."

"I do," Ellie said truthfully. "Like I said, it's complicated."

"You don't have to un-complicate it to talk to me," Heather said as she picked up her cards again. "You can take back that fold if you want."

Ellie picked up her own cards and held them in front of her for another few seconds before setting them down again. She stared at the bed. "Have you ever done something that you think is right, but after you've done it, you think that maybe it wasn't a good idea."

"I think 'what if's' are a bitch," Heather replied. She set down her own cards. "Would you rather not have had the choice at all?"

Ellie shrugged. "I suppose not. But what I did isn't exactly small."

"Pregnant?" Heather asked.

Ellie snorted. "Fuck no! Oh God, Joel would…"

Heather covered her mouth and laughed silently.

"No," Ellie said again with a laugh. "It's not that. But… it is big."

Heather sighed. "Well the way I see it, there's nothing we can do about the 'what if's'. But at least it was your choice to make."

"I guess," Ellie conceded. She didn't feel any better.

After finishing up their hand and putting away the cards, Heather stood. "I'd better get going. I have to feed the cat."

"Alright. I'll see you later," Ellie said, angry at herself for being awkward the entire night.

Heather walked out of the room.

Ellie fidgeted with her ponytail for a moment and quickly stood, moving after Heather.

"Hey," Ellie called as Heather reached the front door. She stopped a few feet away from the doctor. "There's this dinner thing at Tommy's tomorrow night. You wanna come? I'll try to be in a better mood."

"I'll be there," Heather answered. She smiled slightly. "Matthew asked me about it earlier."

"Of course he did," Ellie mumbled, rolling her eyes. "What else did he tell you?"

"Doctor-patient confidentiality," Heather replied slyly.

"Cute," Ellie answered. She opened the front door for Heather. "I'll see you tomorrow night."

Heather nodded. "My door's always open."

The second that the door closed behind Heather, the 'what ifs' returned.

Ellie went to her room, retrieving her Walkman and every tape that she had. She laid down on her bed.

Winston got up a moment later and laid down next to her.

 ** _…_**

It was two in the morning when Joel saw Matthew yawn.

"You look tired," Joel observed, returning his gaze to the forest beyond the Wall.

"It's been an interesting two days," Matthew said. "I'm still trying to get rid of the feeling that something's going to jump out at me."

"Give it time," Joel advised. "The tension will wear off eventually."

"Excuse me," a voice said from behind them.

Matthew and Joel turned to see Heather standing below them.

Joel looked at Matthew, who nodded.

Joel climbed down from the Wall and approached Heather. "You just heading home?" he asked.

"Yeah," Heather answered.

Heather briefly looked behind Joel at Matthew.

Joel knew that the boy was listening in. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

Heather opened her mouth for a moment, then closed it. She took a deep breath. "I know it's not any of my business, but… I think one of you should talk to Ellie. I don't know any details, but something's wrong and she's not really talking to me."

"You think I should go check on her?" Joel asked.

"It may not be a bad idea," Heather said cautiously. "Like I said, I don't really know much."

"Thanks for telling us," Joel said.

"No problem," Heather said. "I'll see you tomorrow night."

Joel returned to the top of the trailer. "I think she's right. I should go check on Ellie."

"I got rest of the shift," Matthew said. "I'll see you in an hour."

"Marcus," Joel called down the Wall to a man with brown eyes and black hair. The man wore all black. Joel stepped forward. "Do you mind taking one more hour?"

"Go ahead. The wife's already pissed anyway," Marcus grunted. He looked at Matthew. "You talk?"

"Not if you don't want me to."

"Good."

Joel made his way back to the house. He found Ellie sitting up in her bed. She had her Walkman lying next to her as well as a bunch of tapes. Joel could hear the music coming through the earbuds.

Joel sat down on the bed and placed a hand on Winston's head as Ellie removed the earbuds. "I don't want to talk," she said.

"It's okay to be scared," Joel said, ignoring her words. "This was a big decision."

"A decision you already hated," Ellie grumbled.

"I can't say I approve," Joel admitted. "But I can understand why you wanted to do it."

Ellie didn't answer.

"So, you're not going to talk for three days?" Joel asked with a sigh.

"Nope," Ellie replied. She placed her earbuds on her head and turned away.

Joel flicked the earbuds.

Ellie slipped them off her head again and turned to Joel, giving him an annoyed glare.

"At least _try_ and sleep," Joel said.

"No point," Ellie said, placing the earbuds in her ears again.

 ** _…_**

Matthew returned to the house at the end of his shift.

Joel was sitting at the kitchen table.

Matthew removed his boots, set aside his crossbow, and sat down across from the older man.

"No luck?" Matthew asked.

"No," Joel answered. He ran a hand through his hair. "She doesn't want to talk to me."

"Think I should give it a shot?"

"Whatever you can do to help," Joel said. "I hate seeing her like this. I haven't seen her like this since…"

"Since I said I wasn't coming back here with you," Matthew completed.

"Yeah," Joel said, looking at the table again.

Matthew nodded. "I'll try my best."

"I'm going to bed," Joel replied.

 ** _…_**

Ellie looked up as Matthew walked into her room. She turned away a moment later.

Winston hopped off the bed, walked out of the room, and was heard making his way up the stairs.

Matthew sat down on the edge of the bed. Ellie moved aside as he moved next to her. She removed one earbud and placed it in Matthew's ear. As they listened to the next song, Ellie laid her head on his shoulder. Matthew tipped his head against hers.

After half an hour, the tape ended.

Ellie ejected the tape and reached for another.

Matthew blocked her hand with his own and took their earbuds out.

Ellie shut off her Walkman.

"We're going for a walk," Matthew said. "Grab your coat and boots."

"Matthew," Ellie moaned. "It's, like, four in the morning. And I really don't feel like going for a walk."

"Are going to sleep?" Matthew asked.

"No."

"Then let's go."

Matthew stood and tossed Ellie her coat.

As they quietly exited the house, they found that it was snowing. Matthew closed the door behind him as Ellie took a deep breath.

They walked a few blocks in silence until they reached an area of Jackson where there were no houses. When Ellie shivered, Matthew reached over and gently pulled the hair tie from Ellie's hair. She shook her head, allowing the hair to cover her ears.

"Better?" Matthew asked.

"Better," Ellie admitted.

"Good, now close your eyes."

"Why?" Ellie asked.

"I've got a surprise."

Ellie did as she was told and heard Matthew move away.

"This surprise had better be good," Ellie called. "It's fucking cold out he—"

Something soft hit her chest and broke apart.

Ellie opened her eyes to see a small ring of snow on her coat where she'd felt the collision. She narrowed her eyes. "Did you just—"

Pfft. Another snowball hit Ellie's chest.

"That's it!" Ellie said loudly, looking up and spotting Matthew a short distance away.

As another snowball collided with her chest, Ellie scooped snow into her hands and threw as hard as she could. The snow hit Matthew in the neck.

"Hey!" Matthew said taking a step back.

Ellie scooped up more snow.

Matthew turned to run. "I didn't hit _you_ above the chest."

"That was your mistake!" Ellie shouted as she ran at him, throwing handfuls of snow.

They both ran another block laughing, shouting, and exchanging snowballs.

Ellie took another hit to the chest and saw Matthew dart behind an abandoned house. When Ellie turned the corner, she saw that there was only one tree in the yard. Ellie slowed her pace.

"Matthew," she called, taunting him. "Where are you?"

The tree above her was huge. Its branches hung low due to the snowfall over the past few weeks. Ellie found a low clump of branches and smiled evilly.

"I was always pretty good at 'hide and seek' so, you might as well give up," Ellie continued. She grabbed onto the clump of low branches. "Not coming out? Okay. Suit yourself…"

Ellie yanked and shook the branches, causing a large amount of snow to fall from the lower part of the tree. Matthew yelped and jumped out from behind the tree. He started to wipe the snow from his hair and coat.

Matthew shook his head and turned to Ellie. "That was so not co—"

Ellie tackled him to the ground and shoved snow in his face.

"It's on," Matthew exclaimed grabbing her shoulders.

"Damn right it is," Ellie smiled as she grabbed his shoulders.

They began to wrestle around in the soft snow. For five minutes, they laughed, giggled, and shivered. Eventually, they came to a rest as Ellie ended up on top.

Ellie chuckled between gasps for breath. "I think… I won," she said.

Matthew shrugged.

Ellie smiled and lowered her head, giving Matthew a kiss as her long hair brushed against his cheek. "Again."

Matthew returned the kiss, grabbed a handful of snow, and stuck it down the back of Ellie's coat and shirt.

"Ahh!" Ellie exclaimed in reaction to the sudden cold. As Matthew laughed, Ellie stood and spun around in circles as the snow on her back began to melt. "Shit, that's cold! That's really, really cold!"

"Well, that's snow," Matthew said, rising. "It has to be cold."

Ellie finally stopped moving and yawned as the snowy ground grew brighter in the early morning light.

"Finally tired?" Matthew asked.

Ellie shoved him aside as she started walking back in the direction of the house. She flashed him a small smile over her shoulder.

They finally walked into the house and took off their coats and boots as the sun started to crest the horizon. They walked to Ellie's room and Ellie collapsed on bed.

Matthew turned to leave.

Ellie grabbed his arm and yanked him onto the bed with her. "Thanks," she whispered.

"Anytime," Matthew said. He slowly laid back and closed his eyes.

Ellie reached under Matthew's shirt and touched his back with her cold hands.

Matthew flinched and shivered.

Ellie smiled.

They were both asleep minutes later.


	4. The First Three Days: Day III

Joel looked up as Ellie walked out of her room yawning.

Joel put down his glass of milk. "Good afternoon," he said.

Ellie looked at the clock and rolled her eyes, moving to grab a soda.

Joel placed his glass by the sink. "Don't even think about it, Ellie."

"What?" Ellie groaned. "It's noon."

"And you just woke up."

"All the more reason for me to drink a soda to feel awake quicker," Ellie retorted grabbing some water.

Joel gave Ellie a piece of toast and allowed her to eat in silence. As Ellie ate, Joel noticed that the emotion he had seen the night before had begun to creep into her eyes. Ellie finished eating and took her plate to the sink. She stood there for a moment, looking out the window next to them.

"What do you say we for a walk," Joel suggested, pulling on his jacket over his red flannel shirt and black jeans.

 ** _…_**

Ellie took a deep breath as she walked outside. She hadn't bothered to grab new clothes before leaving the house.

There were several people moving on the streets, working on buildings, and shoveling sidewalks.

Joel and Ellie began walking.

"It'll be alright," Joel said after they walked a block.

"It's going to be a long three days," Ellie said evasively. She didn't speak for a moment. Then, she looked at Joel. "Sorry I couldn't talk to you last night."

"Well, obviously, the kid figured something out," Joel said simply.

Ellie smiled slightly and shrugged. "It's always been easier with him," she admitted.

"That's because he's closer to your age," Joel said. There was no hint of anger in his voice. He continued. "And it's because he always supports you no matter what you want. And I don't always go that route."

"It's not that," Ellie said quickly.

Joel raised an eyebrow.

Ellie sighed. "Okay, maybe that's part of it. But that's always been _your_ job. And although I will never admit it to anyone else, it's helped keep me alive _and_ sane over the years."

"Your welcome," Joel grunted.

"Thank you," Ellie replied.

They both smiled as they passed by a dad and his child shoveling the snow.

Ellie looked at Joel. "Matthew's always made me feel special without treating me like I have to _be_ special. It just makes it easier to talk to him, I guess."

"Does he make you want to be special?" Joel asked, stopping.

"Well, not in the 'I'm the Messiah who's going to save the human race' special," Ellie answered sarcastically.

"Well at least we have that," Joel said with a shrug as they continued walking.

"Where is Matthew anyway?" Ellie asked, looking around. "Every time I wake up, he's gone."

"He went to 'your place' to work on something," Joel answered. "He said you'd know what that meant."

"Yup, I know what it means."

Joel grunted. "I'm assuming that 'your place' is in Jackson and that you're behaving yourselves."

"Yes, it's in Jackson. As for behaving ourselves…" Ellie turned to Joel and raised an eyebrow.

Joel opened his mouth to reply when there was a loud commotion down the street.

"Wade!"

Ellie and Joel saw a man being dragged out of an old abandoned bar, throwing punches at the men dragging him out. One of the men was Tommy. The other, Ellie remembered from her time in Jackson, was Marcus.

"Wade!" Tommy was shouting as the man kicked his legs against Tommy's black jacket and pants. "Calm down!"

Wade started shouting. "Get your hands off me, you fucking Hunter!"

Ellie and Joel ran forward as Marcus was thrown off balance, getting his black sweater and jeans filled with snow. As the wild man continued shouting, Tommy tried to hold him in place.

"Stay here!" Joel ordered Ellie.

"Fuck no!" Ellie replied.

Joel ran forward and grabbed Wade under the arm and allowed Tommy to get a better grip. Ellie ran forward to help. Wade kicked out with a foot and hit Ellie in the chest, sending her to the ground.

Ellie stood as Joel, Tommy, and Marcus continued to struggle with Wade. When she looked around, Ellie spotted an old metal trash bin filled with light, fluffy snow.

"Move!" Ellie shouted as she picked up the bin.

Joel, Tommy, and Marcus separated as Ellie lunged forward, dumping the entire bin of snow over Wade.

The man froze from the unexpected cold and slumped to the ground, breathing heavily.

Joel, Tommy, and Marcus took a step back, taking deep breaths themselves.

"Nice work, Ellie," Tommy said bending down and helping an almost limp Wade to his feet. He glanced at Marcus. "Let's get him home."

Joel stepped back as Marcus assisted Tommy in walking Wade down the street. Ellie stood off to the side watching as the disoriented man slowly recovered and began walking for himself.

"I never would have thought of the snow thing," Joel said to Ellie. "Where'd you learn that?"

"Back in military school, a jackass tried to steal my knife," Ellie explained. "It was the only thing Riley could do to stop me from killing him before the teachers showed up."

Joel nodded and they both brushed snow off themselves.

"What the fuck was that about?" Ellie asked, picking up the trash bin as Joel closed the door to the bar that the three men had exited.

"Old wounds, bad memories," Joel replied. He sounded reluctant. "It happens to all of us."

"I don't remember seeing anything like that before," Ellie replied.

Joel hesitated. "I didn't let you."

"You were afraid I'd blame myself," Ellie guessed.

"I was afraid it would make things worse for you and… this isn't a guilt that you need."

Tommy returned to them. "Thanks for the help," he said, still breathing heavily. "That hasn't happened to Wade in a while. He picked up an old knife and just freaked."

"How often does this shit happen?" Ellie asked.

"Often enough," Tommy half answered.

"What were you doing at the bar?" Joel asked, changing the subject. "I would have thought you'd cleared it out already."

"We cleared it out years ago," Tommy explained. "Now we're just trying to _clean_ it out and figure out what to do with it."

"Any ideas?" Ellie asked, glancing at the door.

"Not yet," Tommy answered. "But it's pretty bad in there. We were just here to look at what needs to be done. We've got a few other places we want to fix up first."

Down the street, Joey turned a corner and jogged toward them. "Sorry, dad," he said reaching his father. "I got caught up."

Ellie noticed Joey's body stiffen as he spoke as well as a lack of eye contact. _He's lying._

"Ten minutes late," Tommy said. He shook his head. "It's alright. We had a situation too. We better get moving."

Tommy's walkie-talkie chimed. "Hey, Tommy?"

Joey relaxed.

Ellie looked at him and raised a questioning eyebrow.

Joey looked away.

"Hold please," Tommy said, putting the walkie-talkie to his mouth. He looked at Joel and Ellie. "Well, duty calls. Will I see you tonight?"

"Yup," Ellie answered.

"Good," Tommy said. He looked at Joey. "The glass on one of the buses near the south side of the Wall cracked the other day. We'd better go get it boarded up."

"Sure," Joey answered.

Ellie and Joel turned and walked back to the house.

Ellie took off her winter coat and sat down on the couch. Joel sat down on a chair across from her. Ellie brushed her hair behind her ears and held it there for a second.

"You okay, kiddo?" Joel asked.

"Yeah," Ellie said quickly, letting go of her hair. She ran a hand down her face. "Sometimes, it sucks to realize that as good as this place is, the world out there has still gone to shit."

"That's not something we can control," Joel said.

"That's not the way it should be in Jackson," Ellie countered.

Joel nodded in agreement but offered no reply. He glanced at the clock. "Dinner at Tommy's is not till later. You wanna practice on the guitar for a bit?"

"I don't really feel like it," Ellie said as her doubts following her revelation to Tim instantly reentered her mind.

"Don't do this to yourself," Joel warned.

"I can't help it," Ellie said. She sighed. "What if I was wrong?"

"Then you were wrong," Joel answered.

"Not helping," Ellie groaned.

Joel leaned forward. "Kiddo, we'll just have to wait and see what happ—"

There was a knock on the door.

Ellie stood and opened the door.

Clarisse barreled into her.

Ellie hugged the little girl in surprise and looked up.

Tim stood in the doorway, his hands in his pockets and his expression unreadable. Both were wearing the same outfits as the previous night.

"Ellie!" Clarisse was saying, holding up her art book she was carrying. "I want to show you something!"

"Um… I…" Ellie stammered. She looked at Tim, who nodded.

Ellie knelt to Clarisse's level. "Tell you what. How about you go show Winston first. He's in my room."

Clarisse ran past an equally surprised Joel and into Ellie's room.

Ellie looked back at Tim. "What… what about the three days?"

"You saved our lives," Tim said after a moment. He took his hands out of his pockets. "You. Matthew. Joel. We wouldn't have made it here without you guys."

"I'm not sure I would have made it back here without you two," Ellie said slowly, glancing at her bedroom door. "You don't owe me anything."

"Well," Tim said, smiling sheepishly. "Clarisse really wanted to show you her drawing."

"So, we're cool?" Ellie asked nervously.

"We're cool," Tim assured her. He chuckled. "Look, I've got a plumbing emergency at a house near the west end of the Wall and I don't have time to drop her at the shop. Would you mind?"

"I'd love to," Ellie said as relief spread through her.

"I'll pick her up before dinner at Tommy's tonight," Tim said. "She found a dress at the shop that she wants to wear."

"Matthew told you about the party, then?" Ellie asked.

"No, Clarisse earns me automatic invites."

"Well, I'll keep an eye on her till then," Ellie said, finally relaxing.

"Clarisse," Tim called. "I'm leaving. I'll see you in a few hours."

"Bye," Clarisse called from the other room.

Ellie closed the door as Joel walked forward.

"What the fuck just happened?" Ellie whispered.

"What you wanted to happen," Joel replied. "Go on. We'll practice later."

"Thanks, Joel."

Ellie walked into her room and found Clarisse laying on the bed, using Winston as a pillow.

Ellie got onto the bed as well. "What did you want to show me?" she asked.

Clarisse smiled broadly and flipped through her art book. Ellie glanced at a few pages and saw that the drawings were basic, but colorful. They completely lacked the reality of the outside world.

Clarisse finally stopped on a page and turned it to Ellie. It was a giant red, square-shaped building with two openings on either side. In the middle was an orange fire. On the either side of the fire were two sets of stick people. One had long red hair.

"It's us!" Clarisse said excitedly. She began pointing at various sections of the picture. "That's me. That's Tim. That's your boyfriend, Matthew. And that's—"

"Me…" Ellie completed. She felt her eyes start to water. "That's the night we first met."

"Why are you crying again?" Clarisse asked.

"No reason," Ellie said, regaining her composure. She scooted a little closer to Clarisse. "So, are you going to write your name on it? All the old artists put their names on their art."

Clarisse looked away and Ellie saw her eyes started to tear up.

"Clarisse," Ellie said, concerned. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know how…" Clarisse's voice dropped to a mumble.

"Kiddo, what's wrong," Ellie asked, turning Clarisse toward her.

"I don't know how to write," Clarisse said quietly. She looked at Ellie. "My dad taught me to read. But then he had to leave. Tim has tried but…"

"It's okay. Sometimes, it just takes time," Ellie said, rubbing Clarisse's back. "You know what?"

"What?" Clarisse asked.

"I didn't know how to read a map until I was fourteen," Ellie whispered.

"Really?" Clarisse asked. "Tim taught me after you found us."

"See, you are six years old and you know how to read a map," Ellie said lightly. "Writing just takes time, that's all."

"Can you help me learn to write?" Clarisse asked hopefully.

"I can try," Ellie said uncertainly. She stood and grabbed her own, rarely used notebook from under her bed. She also grabbed a pencil from her closet. Ellie sat back down next to Clarisse, who leaned closer.

Ellie took a deep breath. "Soo… what letters do you know?"

Clarisse started naming off letters, taking the pencil from Ellie and writing in the notebook.

"Okay," Ellie said. "So, you know 'O' and 'I'. Do you know the small version of the letters?"

Clarisse drew a smaller 'O'. She put down the pencil, disappointed. "I don't know 'I'."

"Hmmm…" Ellie said, thinking for a moment. "How did you learn 'O'?"

"It looks like the moon," Clarisse said.

"How do you know 'I'?"

"It looks like a stick."

Clarisse bowed her head as Ellie thought for a moment.

Ellie looked up and smiled. "We can do this."

"We can?" Clarisse asked hopefully, looking up.

"Yeah," Ellie said excitedly. She pointed to the letters. "'O' looks like a moon, and the 'I' looks like a stick. Do you know how to make a triangle?"

Clarisse drew a triangle.

Ellie smiled and added two downward-sloping lines on the lower points.

"See?" Ellie said. "An 'A' is just a triangle with two sticks at the bottom."

Clarisse did her best to copy Ellie's 'A'. The letter could be described as bumpy, but passable. Clarisse stared at the letter and smiled.

"There," Ellie said. "You just wrote a big 'A'."

"What about the small A?" Clarisse asked.

"We'll worry about that later," Ellie said. "For now, we should just practice our 'A'."

"I just did 'A'," Clarisse said, confused.

"Just because you can do it, doesn't mean you know it," Ellie said. "You have to do it over and over again."

"Fine…" Clarisse groaned, earning a small smile from Ellie. Clarisse tightened her grip on the pencil. "How many times?"

Ellie gently grabbed the pencil and started writing Capital A's down the page, leaving plenty of space for a second set.

After a minute, Ellie gave the pencil back. "Let's start with a hundred," she said.

Ellie turned on her kid-friendliest CD and sat down in the bed, watching Clarisse work in silence.

After about seven minutes, Clarisse put the pencil down and gave Ellie a nervous look. Ellie leaned forward and traced a finger down the page. The shape and straightness each 'A' began to get better as Ellie reached the bottom of the page.

"Getting close," Ellie said. "Do you want to try 'B'?"

"Can I do more 'A'?" Clarisse asked.

"That's my girl," Ellie said, wrapping her hand around Clarisse's shoulder and giving the young girl a squeeze. Ellie began writing the letter 'A' repeatedly. "'A' it is."

"Did your dad teach you to write?" Clarisse asked after a moment.

"No. But Joel _did_ teach me to play the guitar," Ellie replied without thinking. She stopped for a moment, threw the next thought aside, and continued writing as she spoke. "He always said that repeating helps develop muscle memory."

"What's that?"

"It means that you can write an 'A' without having to think about it," Ellie explained. "That's why I made you write 'A' a hundred times."

 ** _…_**

Matthew opened the door to the house and took off his coat before removing his boots and walking into the kitchen where Joel sat at the table, reading a book.

Like Ellie, Matthew was also still dressed in the clothes he'd worn the day before.

Joel marked the page he was on and set the book down.

"What have you been doing all day?" Joel asked, noticing Matthew's dirty and untidy clothes.

Matthew looked around. "Is Ellie here?" he asked, avoiding the question.

Joel inclined his head toward the hallway. It was then that Matthew heard the voices coming from Ellie's room. He recognized Clarisse's voice instantly.

"How do I make a 'B'?" the little girl was asking.

"A 'B'," Ellie began. There was a slight hesitation. "A 'B' is one stick down and two sideways hills."

Matthew listened for another minute and smiled. He turned away from the hall and looked at Joel. The older man's attention was also focused on the voices down the hall and he had a rare smile on his face.

"Okay…" Matthew said, more confused than ever. "I obviously missed something."

Joel shrugged and picked up his coffee.

 ** _…_**

Over the next hour, Ellie and Clarisse continued to work on the first two letters of the alphabet.

After examining yet another column of letters, Ellie found them to be rudimentary, but recognizable.

Eventually, somebody rapped their knuckles on the open door. They looked up to see Tim standing there, his arms folded.

"Timmy!" Clarisse said excitedly, jumping off the bed with the notebook, showing it to her older brother. "Timmy, look! Ellie showed me how to write!"

"That's great!" Tim said genuinely. "Are you ready to go?"

"Do I have to?" Clarisse moaned.

"You'll see her later tonight," Tim assured her.

Clarisse jumped onto the bed and tackled Ellie, wrapping her in a hug.

Ellie hugged back and handed the little girl the pencil and notebook. "Keep practicing."

"Go get your coat," Tim said to Clarisse. As his sister left the room, Tim looked at Ellie. "Did she behave?"

"She was awesome," Ellie said. She handed him Clarisse's coloring book. "She's a smart kid too."

"No thanks to me," Tim muttered. He looked down. "I… I'm not always the best teacher."

"I think you teach more than you realize," Ellie said with a small smile. "I um, I wrote down the rest of the letters in the notebook a hundred times each. And if you ever need us to keep an eye on her, were around."

"Thanks," Tim said, lightening up. "For everything."

"No problem," Ellie said. She and Tim walked to the front door where Clarisse was just zipping up her coat. Ellie opened the door for them. "See you soon."

"She's still a keeper," Tim said loudly.

Matthew sent a half smile, half glare in their direction and went back to his chess game with Joel.

Tim smiled and grabbed his sister's shoulder. "Let's go."

Ellie closed the door and took a seat at the table as Joel tipped over his king with a grunt.

Matthew didn't reply.

"Again?" Joel offered.

"Actually," Matthew started. "I was hoping to borrow Ellie for a bit before we go to Tommy's. I wanted to show her something."

"Okay," Joel said. "You should probably get ready before you go. I'll meet you there."

"Sounds good," Ellie said, standing up.

 ** _…_**

Matthew waited until Ellie left the room before he started packing up the chess game.

Joel took their glasses of water to the sink.

Matthew was still sitting when Joel turned.

"What's up?" the Joel asked.

"I don't know," Matthew answered honestly. "I uh, I just realized that I have no idea what to do next."

"I think you should find a nice-ish looking shirt and not worry about anything after that," Joel replied. He grabbed the chess case and set it aside. "You're still not used to staying in one spot, are you?"

"No," Matthew said with a laugh. "If my dad were here, he would be telling me to find something useful to do."

Joel didn't reply. He just listened.

"Don't get me wrong," Matthew said quickly. "He was a good man. But it was his job and… it was supposed to be my job, to make sure that the family survives."

"I can understand his point of view," Joel said.

Matthew lowered his voice. "Do you think it was like this for Ellie when she first got here?"

"Ellie spent a lot of time working when she was here," Joel confirmed. "Hell, there were more than a few times that she was gone before I woke up and I didn't see her until she was closing the door to her room for the night."

"But it's different now?" Matthew asked.

"Yeah," Joel said. He sighed and scratched the back of his head. "I'd like to say it's something I did, but—"

"How do I look?" Ellie asked, walking into the room with a hairbrush in her hand.

Ellie now wore a long-sleeve red and black flannel shirt with blue jeans. Her now brushed hair flowed down over her shoulders.

Matthew glanced at Joel and saw an unexpected look of pride on his face.

"You look great," Joel finally said. He turned to Matthew. "Did you get any nice clothes the other day?"

"Nice enough," Matthew said with a shrug.

Matthew walked into Ellie's room and closed the door. He moved to the closet and grabbed out a blue flannel shirt and a clean pair of jeans before grabbing the shaver Joel had given him, attempting to get rid of the scruff he'd accumulated over the past few days.

When Matthew returned to the kitchen, Ellie was already pulling on her boots.

Joel had walked up to his room and closed the door.

"Look at you all cleaned up!" Ellie said dramatically.

Matthew grunted.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "Fine, don't take the compliment."

"I don't think _nice_ is my look," Matthew said with a small smile.

"Mine either," Ellie said. She raised her voice. "We'll see you at Tommy's, Joel."

The sun was setting as Matthew and Ellie exited the house and started walking down the street.

"So, did you ever have any parties with your family," Ellie asked.

"Not really," Matthew said. He shrugged. "We had a house in Billings but… we couldn't exactly trust our neighbors. We didn't go outside unless we were headed to the ration line. Even then, we always kept our doors locked."

"Keeping doors locked is not a bad idea _here_ either," Ellie said.

"What do you mean by that?" Matthew asked.

"Let's just say that the guitar I'm always playing… wasn't my first."

Matthew stopped and took a step back in amusement. "You're telling me that the same girl who laid on her backpack the first night I met her because she thought I would take it allowed her guitar to be _stolen_?"

"Hey, I was younger!" Ellie argued. "It was my third day here and I was helping Joey with something and I forgot to lock the damn door."

"So, it was Joey's fault?" Matthew said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes," Ellie said calmly. As they continued walking, she grabbed Matthew's hand. "Eventually you'll learn that everything is Joey's fault."

"Noted," Matthew said. He sighed. "Why the hell would somebody steal a guitar anyway?"

"Who the fuck knows?" Ellie answered. "If I ever found out who did it, I'll kick their asses."

Matthew was silent for a few seconds before speaking. "Can I ask you something?"

"Always."

"Your outfit tonight."

"You don't like my outfit, now?" Ellie asked with no small amount of attitude.

"That's not what I meant," Matthew said with a chuckle. "It's just when you walked out of your room—"

"Our room," Ellie interrupted.

Matthew gave her a confused look.

Ellie rolled her eyes. "We both live there, we both have our stuff in that room, we both sleep in that room. It's _our_ room."

"Okay," Matthew said. "When you walked out of _our_ room, you brought attention to your looks, which you've never done, and Joel had… a look."

Ellie didn't answer. After a moment, she sighed. "These are the clothes I was wearing when Joel and I first came to Jackson County."

Matthew didn't interrupt. He simply waited.

Ellie shrugged. "It was a rough week. The shirt… well I felt angry every time that I put it on. Angry and scared and… not normal. I shoved it in my closet and haven't touched it since."

"So, why bring it out now?" Matthew inquired.

"I just wanted a new memory to go with it," Ellie said with a shrug. "It's stupid, I know."

"It's not stupid," Matthew assured her.

They arrived at the park a few minutes later. The sun had set.

"So, was this where you were all day?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah," Matthew answered.

"It doesn't look any different," Ellie said, looking around.

Matthew walked her around the group of trees and brush concealing their spot.

Ellie looked around again. "Still not seeing anything."

"Look up," Matthew said.

Ellie looked up. "Oh…"

The trees above them had been completely trimmed. Matthew had spent the day climbing up the trees and using his knife to cut away the branches and discarding the piles away from their spot, trying his best to eliminate any branches blocking their view of the sky.

"I figured we should actually be able to see something from the hammock," Matthew replied simply.

"Yeah…" Ellie said craning her head and spotting the moon through the large gap in the trees above. She turned to Matthew. "So, what really made you think of this?"

Matthew leaned up against a tree and looked down for a moment. "When you asked me if I liked this spot… well let's just say that I wasn't being entirely truthful."

"Matthew," Ellie began, concerned. "You know that we don't _have_ to hang out here."

"It's not this spot specifically," Matthew tried to explain. He stopped leaning against the tree. "I was scared the other day. And I woke up from a nightmare today."

"What was it about?" Ellie asked.

"I was caged," Matthew said, scratching the back of his head. "Here, it's safe. I get that. But out there, I knew what I was in for. Here, I—"

"Feel trapped," Ellie completed. "It feels like everything that you knew, no matter how shitty it was, is worth nothing here."

Matthew nodded, grateful for her understanding. He stood next to Ellie and looked up. "So, I wanted to take something safe from out there…" Matthew pointed at the stars and moon above. "And bring it here. And you always liked looking at the stars. I figured that you wouldn't mind."

Ellie smiled and looked up at the stars again before stepping closer to him. "You know, you keep doing cool things like this, I _might_ just have to kiss you."

Matthew laughed. "I'm glad you like it."

Ellie kissed him and grabbed his hand again. "C'mon. We're going to be late."

"So," Matthew said awkwardly as Tommy's house came into sight. "Do I get kisses in advance or is it a form of payment only."

"Hey, don't get greedy," Ellie warned. "And make sure to knock the snow off your shoes. Maria's got a thing about that."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Okay," Ellie said. She took a deep breath. "Here we go."

 ** _…_**

Joel and Tommy looked up as Ellie and Matthew walked in.

Joel glanced at his brother as Ellie took off her coat.

It was obvious that Tommy noticed Ellie outfit. "Isn't that the shirt she was wearing the first—"

"I'm just going with it," Joel said as Joey walked into the kitchen. "Hey, Joey."

"Howdy."

 ** _…_**

Matthew and Ellie discarded their jackets as Joey walked forward.

Matthew glanced at Joey, who seemed determined to avoid his eye.

"Alright," Joey said lightly, making it clear that he wasn't going to talk about the encounter from the previous night. "I guess mom's showing up in a little bit with food and everyone else is showing up in half an hour. You want the tour?"

A few minutes later, Matthew and Ellie found themselves in Joey's room.

As Matthew looked around, he noticed that Joey's room was more cluttered and filled with items that he had only seen in abandoned buildings. It was obvious that the young man had lived in Jackson for years.

Matthew turned as Ellie looked at one of the room's corners.

There was a hanging shelf on the Wall.

"Damn," Ellie said with a hint of admiration as she turned to Joey. "You actually did a good job repairing this."

"Thanks," Joey said with a chuckle. He reached under his bed and grabbed three sodas. He turned to Ellie and handed her one. "Please don't break it again."

"How'd it get broken in the first place?" Matthew asked.

Ellie folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at Joey.

Joey looked down. "Let's just say that I used to say and do some stupid things when I was younger."

"Don't be embarrassed," Ellie said, putting a hand around Joey's shoulder. "It's okay to be beaten up. Especially by a girl. It makes you stronger."

"And sorer," Matthew added. When Joey glanced at him, Matthew shrugged. "I've said and done some stupid things too."

"Getting beaten by Ellie seems like a rite of passage," Joey commented.

"It's not my fault guys are stupid and deserve to be beaten every once in a while," Ellie replied with a shrug.

"Kids," Tommy called up. "Heather's here."

Ellie turned and left the room first, leaving Matthew and Joey alone.

Joey waited for a moment before moving toward the door.

"Joey," Matthew said quietly, stopping the younger man at the doorway. "About last night. You and your—"

"They're all talk," Joey tried to say lightly. "Don't worry about them. Just act submissive and you'll be fine."

"That's not what I was going to say," Matthew said, taking a step back. "I don't exactly _like_ fighting. I was just wondering if you needed any help."

"Meaning?" Joey asked, dropping the lightness in his voice.

"Meaning the first impression I had of you didn't match the second," Matthew said carefully. "And you don't seem like the type to hang out with people like that."

"What's it to you?" Joey challenged.

"Ellie and Joel consider you family," Matthew said. "And I owe them a debt. So, I just wanted you to know that if you ever need—"

"You're not my friend," Joey said firmly. "And you sure as hell ain't my family. Are we done?"

"Yeah," Matthew said, backing down. "We're good."

As they descended the stairs, Joey offered Matthew a soda.

 ** _…_**

Ellie walked toward the front door as Heather placed her coat in the nearby closet.

Ellie stopped short, noticing that Heather kept one hand in her sweater pocket. There was some tension on the right wrist.

"Hey," Heather greeted. "Anyone else here yet?"

"Not yet," Ellie said. She took a step closer and lowered her voice. "What's with the knife?"

"What knife?" Heather said, making a noticeable effort to take her hands out of her pockets.

"The knife in your sweater," Ellie said. "Don't try and tell me it's not there. Trust me. I know what it looks like."

"Let's just say that I have trust issues too," Heather said quietly after a few seconds.

"I thought you had a good read on people," Ellie countered.

"There was a time that I didn't," Heather replied firmly, implying that she was ready for the conversation to end.

Heather looked around and spotted Joey coming down stairs with Matthew. Ellie noticed small smiles exchanged between Heather and Joey. Ellie put a hand on Heather's shoulder and nudged her in Joey's direction, moving away before the young doctor could say anything.

Ellie walked to the kitchen where Joel was grabbing a pack of beer out of Tommy's fridge. After a moment of hesitation, Joel offered two beers to Ellie.

"I trust you can handle that?" Joel said half seriously.

"Pfft. Give me some of those," Ellie said, grabbing two cans. She turned. "I've probably drank more than you."

"Excuse me?" Joel said, turning.

"Well, maybe not _here_ ," Ellie clarified.

"Right," Joel said.

Ellie passed by Matthew and handed him a beer without thinking before moving toward Heather and Joey. Joey moved forward to help Maria as she entered the house carrying a few bags of food.

Heather spoke as she turned to Ellie. "So, Joey was just saying that Tim and Clarisse are coming tonight."

"Yup," Ellie said. "Do you know them?"

"There's something I should tell you," Heather said. "Clarisse is—"

The door opened as Tim and Clarisse walked in.

Tim was now dressed in a clean purple shirt and had changed into clean blue jeans. Clarisse wore a loose fitting blue dress that went to her ankles. She still held the notebook that Ellie had given her. The little girl looked in Ellie's direction and smiled, running toward her.

Ellie was surprised when Clarisse ran straight past her and jumped into Heather's arms.

"Dr. Heather!" the little girl said. "Dr. Heather! I didn't know you were gonna be here!"

Ellie scratched the back of her head, attempting to ignore the pang of jealousy she felt.

Heather smiled and looked at Ellie. "She's my other patient."

"Isn't she the best doctor ever?" Clarisse asked, turning in Heather's arms to look at Ellie.

"She's great," Ellie said with a hint of sarcasm.

"Sorry," Heather mouthed to Ellie.

"Okay, I'll take _that_ ," Ellie said, grabbing Clarisse. She handed Heather a beer. "And you can take _this_."

Heather smiled as Clarisse hugged Ellie.

Ellie looked at Heather over the little girl's shoulder. "Mine," she lipped.

Heather smiled, walked to the kitchen counter, and replaced the beer with a glass of water.

Ellie raised an eyebrow.

"I don't drink," Heather explained. "It can lead to bad things."

Ellie nodded and allowed Clarisse to slide down her and onto the ground.

The young girl walked over to her brother, tugged on his sleeve, and whispered.

Tim nodded and Clarisse moved in the direction of Tommy's bathroom.

Heather moved to stand next to Ellie as they both took a drink.

"Clarisse is yours," Heather assured Ellie. "Every time I see her, the first person she mentions is you."

Ellie smiled.

 ** _…_**

Matthew soon found himself standing in a corner observing the social gathering, still holding both a beer and a soda. He felt slightly uncomfortable and unsure of what to do.

"Dinner," Tommy called.

Ellie walked over the table with Heather, grabbed one of the plates, and stacked it with food before moving back to the couch.

After a brief hesitation, Heather followed suit.

Matthew moved aside as Clarisse moved past him to the table.

Matthew placed the soda and beer he was holding on a lamp table before moving to the kitchen table and waiting behind Tim and Clarisse.

Tim let Clarisse move in front of him and stack her own plate full of food. Despite Clarisse's complaints, Tim also placed a few vegetables on her plate.

"Kid," Tommy said quietly as Matthew grabbed small pieces of food and placed them on his plate. Tommy chuckled. "You don't have to starve yourself."

Matthew nodded his appreciation and grabbed a little more food before moving back to the corner. He watched as Ellie, Tim, and Clarisse sat down on the large couch in the living room. Clarisse eagerly handed Ellie her notebook.

Across from them, Joey and Heather sat down on opposite ends of a second couch. Matthew observed Heather physically relaxing for the first time since she entered the house and also noticed a small, knowing smile form on Ellie's face.

Matthew watched and ate for a time as Ellie and Clarisse began to discuss the work the young girl had done in the notebook. Tim slowly got up and returned his plate to the table where the adults were still sitting and talking happily.

Matthew had discarded his plate on the lamp table and picked up the soda, opening it. Tim joined him a second later. Matthew took a drink of his soda and they watched Ellie and Clarisse smiling and laughing on the couch.

"I haven't seen Clarisse this happy in a long time," Tim said quietly.

"I could say the same about Ellie," Matthew replied.

They both laughed for a second at the déjà vu feeling of the conversation.

"It feels like just yesterday that we were in that barn," Tim commented.

"Not for me," Matthew said.

Tim pointed at the beer on the lamp table next to Matthew. "Can I try that? I've never had one before."

Matthew hesitated and handed Tim the beer.

"I'm surprised you're actually letting me," Tim said with a chuckle.

"I'm not your father, so I don't exactly feel right stopping you," Matthew said. He sighed. "That being said, I've never been comfortable with alcohol."

Tim didn't ask any questions.

Matthew shrugged. "You've shown that you're adult enough. But don't have more than one of those. It makes you act different after a while."

"I'll keep that in mind," Tim said. After taking a swig, he looked at Matthew again. "You uh, you never answered my question."

"What question is that?" Matthew asked, turning to Tim.

"The night we met, when you taught me how to use my knives," Tim explained. "I asked you why you were helping us. You said, 'you had your reasons', but you never actually answered the question."

"You won't like the full answer," Matthew said.

"Try me," Tim said.

"I helped you because…" Matthew took a deep breath. "I helped you because you were just like me."

"That makes no sense," Tim said with a small laugh.

Matthew took a drink of soda before explaining. "I was about seven when the zone I used to live in fell apart. One day, dad got… infected."

"When that happened to my dad, it was one of the worst days of my life," Tim said softly, taking a swig of his beer.

Matthew gave Tim a few seconds of silence before continuing. "My mother said it was my job to keep my sister safe."

Matthew looked at Ellie for a moment before turning back to Tim.

The younger man remained silent and stood waiting.

"It all happened pretty fast," Matthew said softly. "Dad turned and mom… she didn't make it."

"What happened to your sister?" Tim asked after another few seconds of silence.

Matthew looked down and shook his head. "In the end, both my parents were gone and my sister… I abandoned her," he almost whispered. He sighed again. "I abandoned her. And then some."

"So, she… she didn't make it," Tim said, glancing at Clarisse. He looked at Matthew. "I'm sorry."

Matthew nodded and took another drink of his soda before returning his gaze to Tim. "I helped you because you are what I should have been. You were her protector. You embraced who you had to be. I didn't. You deserved every chance you could get. As for me… maybe I thought I was making up for something."

"That's why you tried to teach me how to use a knife," Tim said.

"Yeah," Matthew answered. "I hoped that you wouldn't have to use it, though."

"Well, I did have to use it," Tim said. Matthew saw Tim's features darken as he took a large gulp of beer. The look was gone a second later. Tim placed a reluctant hand on Matthew's shoulder. "You saved me and Clarisse. That's gotta count for something."

"Maybe," Matthew said. His gaze drifted to Ellie, Clarisse, Heather, and Joey. They were all laughing at something Ellie had said. Matthew placed a hand on Tim's shoulder. "You think we should join them?"

"Yeah," Tim said lightly. "I think we should."

 ** _…_**

Ellie noticed Matthew moving toward the couch. She grabbed Clarisse and placed the girl into

her lap. Matthew sat down next to her as Tim found a seat in a chair across from them.

They conversed for a while as Tim continued to slowly drink the beer he held. Matthew handed his soda to Clarisse. The girl chugged it as fast as she could. Heather and Joey laughed at the sight.

After a small pause in the conversation, Clarisse looked at Ellie. "How did you and Joel meet? Was he there when you were born?"

"No," Ellie answered with a laugh. "I met Joel when I was fourteen. I um, I needed to get somewhere and he helped me."

"Where did you have to go?" Clarisse asked.

Ellie glanced behind her and saw Joel and Tommy talking near the living room window. She looked at Clarisse. "I had to be somewhere other than where I was."

"Kinda like me and Tim," Clarisse said.

"Exactly," Ellie said.

Clarisse was silent for a moment. She looked at Matthew and back up at Ellie. "How did you meet Matthew?"

"Oh, God," Matthew mumbled.

Ellie reached over and pinched his arm before resting her hand on his. "We don't have to go into that," she said.

"I wanna know," Tim said.

"Me too," Heather said.

Ellie looked down and saw that Clarisse was still looking between Ellie and Matthew, expecting an answer. Ellie sighed. "Okay, I went for a swim a month before I met you and…"

Ellie hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to proceed.

"She started drowning," Matthew continued for her.

"Yeah," Ellie said quickly. "Matthew thought that I was drowning. I was really just playing around."

"At, like, one in the morning," Matthew added quietly.

"Anyway," Ellie said flatly, throwing a glare in Matthew's direction, silencing him. "He came into the water to see if I needed help and well, we've been together ever since. Mostly."

"Oh," Clarisse said. "Where was Joel?"

"Oh…" Ellie hesitated. "He um…"

"It was my fault," Joel said from next to the window. Everyone's eyes turned to him. Joel took a step forward. "Ellie uh, Ellie needed my help with something. Something that I could have helped her with. But I didn't. Ellie is braver than I ever was. So, she tried to figure it out herself."

"Like when Tim taught himself how to throw knives?" Clarisse asked.

"Yeah," Joel said. He looked at Ellie and Matthew. "Anyway, I think it all worked out in the end."

Ellie smiled and felt Matthew give her hand a squeeze.

There was a brief silence.

Everyone looked at Clarisse, expecting another question.

"Anything else?" Ellie asked.

Clarisse yawned and looked down. "I don't have any more questions…"

"I got one," Heather said. She stood and walked over to Clarisse whispering something in her ear.

Ellie listened, but couldn't catch what Heather had said. Ellie looked at Matthew, who placed his hand over his face and was shaking his head.

Clarisse looked at Ellie. "What was the first thing you and Matthew said to each other?"

"Oooooakaaaayy," Ellie said loudly. She sent a look in Heather's direction that implied pending payback before placing her hand on Clarisse's shoulder. "We'll get into this another time."

"Wait," Joey said. "I want to know what he said."

Heather sat down next to Joey and whispered something in his ear.

"How are you still alive?" Joey exclaimed, looking at Matthew.

Matthew put his hands in the air.

Tim smiled and continued to drink his beer.

Ellie found herself smiling more as the group continued talking, laughing, and joking for over three hours. When Ellie looked down next, she found Clarisse passed out in her arms. Matthew nudged Ellie with his shoulder. She looked at him.

"Déjà vu?" Matthew asked quietly.

Ellie looked down again and remembered the night they had met Tim and Clarisse. She had woken up the next morning with Clarisse in her arms.

Ellie smiled again.

"Alright," Tommy said speaking above them. "I know you guys are having fun, but Maria and I have an early day tomorrow and it's already one in the morning. We're going to have to call it a night."

Everyone stood and started saying their goodbyes. Matthew shook Joey, Tommy, and Maria's hands as Tim stood. Ellie hugged Clarisse close to her for a moment before handing the girl over to her older brother. Tim took the girl and stumbled slightly.

Ellie glanced at the empty beer can. "You okay?" she asked with a hint of amusement.

Clarisse stirred. "Are we going home?" she asked, still half asleep.

"Yup," Tim said, letting Clarisse support her head on his shoulder. He nodded his goodbye to Ellie.

"Bye, Tim," Ellie said. She looked at the girl as Tim turned to leave. "Goodnight, Clarisse."

"Goodnight…mommy…"

Ellie froze as Tim walked out the door. After a few seconds, Ellie chuckled and turned to Heather. As Heather turned away from Joey, Ellie walked up to her. Heather turned and grabbed her coat. Ellie saw a flash of silver as Heather transferred an object to her front coat pocket.

Ellie chose to ignore what she saw. "So," she said as Heather turned toward her. "How would you rate tonight?"

"Not as scary as I thought it would be," Heather replied. "Considering it's the first time I've been around more people than just Joey's family, Tim, and Clarisse."

"Yeah," Ellie said as Matthew pulled on his coat. "It's kind of a first for me too."

"Really?" Heather said, surprised.

"I didn't exactly have a large social circle as the _old_ people call it," Ellie replied.

"Hey, don't be mean to the _old_ people," Heather said. Ellie heard humor, but also a small pinch of bitterness in Heather's voice. The bitterness was gone a moment later. Heather moved toward the door. "But tonight was fun. I'll see you around, Ellie."

"See ya," Ellie said as the door shut behind Heather.

Ellie turned to Joel, who was still sitting at the table with Maria and Tommy.

"Are you coming?" Ellie asked.

"There are no curfews for the _old people_ ," Joel replied. "I'll see you in the morning, kiddo."

"Alright," Ellie said. She walked toward the door with Matthew and said goodbye to Joey.

 ** _…_**

Joel watched as Ellie and Matthew left the house smiling. He let out a breath, relieved that the night had gone well for all of them.

"Joey," Tommy said to his son, breaking Joel from his thoughts. "Bed."

"Gladly," Joey said with a yawn.

"Are you going to be home tomorrow?" Maria asked her son.

"I may go hang out with a couple people tomorrow afternoon," Joey said. "But I can be free if you need me to be."

"Are we ever going to _meet_ these friends," Tommy asked.

"Probably not," Joey replied, standing by the stairs. "It's hard enough being the son of the town leaders or whatever. I think you'll scare them off."

Joel sniggered under his breath.

Tommy glared at him.

Joel shrugged. "He's your son."

"Goodnight," Joey said, moving up the stairs.

"At least bring Heather around more often," Maria called. "I like having her."

"Goodnight, mom."

Joel smiled slightly and took the last drink of his beer.

 ** _…_**

Heather arrived home a few minutes later and unlocked the door to her house. She walked into the living room and sat down on the couch, taking deep breaths.

Heather opened and closed her hands. _It was fine. Everything went fine._

Heather took one last deep breath before taking the scalpel she'd had in her pocket out and placing it on the table in front of her. After taking off her coat and boots, she laid down on the couch facing the door.

Arata got up on the couch a few seconds later. The cat curled up into a small ball on her legs and fell asleep, purring softly.

 ** _…_**

Ellie and Matthew stood over the bed, dressed in their pajamas.

"You tired?" Ellie asked.

"Not really," Matthew replied. "We've had a lot later nights than this."

"That means the sheets are going on the floor," Ellie said. "Grab that end for me."

After laying the sheets and blankets on the floor, both of them laid down.

Winston walked in and stretched before hopping up on the empty bed.

A half hour later, they were all asleep.


	5. Joey and Heather Part I: First Words

Joey watched his father pat Uncle Joel's back. The young man still wore his brown pants and blue shirt from the day before, unable to sleep after his incident with Ellie.

"If you're not back in a year," his father was saying, also wearing his black sweatshirt and jeans from the day before. "I'm coming out after you."

"Uncle Joel?" Joey finally said, walking out of the house.

Uncle Joel turned toward Joey.

Joey continued. "What about your guitar? You and Ellie were always playing your guitars."

Uncle Joel gave Joey a small smile. The older man handed Joey the key to the house. "It's in my room. How about you get it for me."

Joey entered the house and found himself drawn to Ellie's room. He looked around. After a moment, he looked at the ground, realizing that this could be the last time he may see Uncle Joel or Ellie. Emotions started to rise within him.

Joey quickly retrieved Uncle Joel's guitar and left the house, closing the door behind him.

Once back outside, Joey handed his uncle the guitar.

Uncle Joel ruffled Joey's hair. "Thanks kid," his uncle said, turning to Joey's father. "I'm sorry for… whatever there is to be sorry for."

Joey's father folded his arms. "Don't talk to me as if you aren't coming back," he said to Joey's uncle firmly. "Have faith, big brother. You'll find her and be home in one year."

Joey gulped. Hoping his father was right,

Joey's father raised a finger to Joel. " _One year._ "

Uncle Joel nodded. "One year," he repeated.

Joey turned and walked into his house, unable to contain his emotion any longer. He closed the door loudly and accidently ran into his mother, who was wearing a black jacket and jeans, as he moved toward his room.

Joey heard his mother walking up the stairs behind him. "Joey," she called. "Do you—"

"I don't want to talk about it, mom."

Joey slammed his door shut. _It's my fault. I'm the reason Ellie left._ He laid down in his bed and didn't rise until his mother called him down for lunch.

Joey walked down the stairs and sat at the table. His family ate in silence. After eating half a plate, Joey pushed it toward the center of the table.

He parents looked at him curiously.

"I'm going for a walk," Joey said. He stood and walked out the door. "I'll be back later."

Joey started walking through Jackson with no particular destination in mind, trying to quell the emotions inside of him. _Mom and dad always said it was bad out there. What if Ellie and Uncle Joel…_ Joey looked down and kept walking.

When Joey looked up again, he found that he was standing fifty feet from the north side of the Wall. He was about to turn and go the other way when saw his dad talking to a man on the Wall. Joey moved to the side of the street and started making his way toward his father.

Joey watched his father take a walkie-talkie, a rifle, and a handgun from the man on the Wall as well as a backpack.

Joey stopped for a moment. D _ad's leaving. He'd only leave if he was going after…_

Joey moved forward, intending to call out to his father. After a moment of thought, he stopped himself and moved to the Wall, standing off to the side.

Joey's father turned off the walkie-talkie and strapped it to his belt. After a few seconds, his father jumped over the Wall.

Joey froze. _He can't go after them alone._ Joey jogged toward the Wall and up the ladder. As he was about to jump over, a hand grabbed him.

"Not so fast," the man on the Wall said. "You're way too young to go out there, kid."

"Where is he going?" Joey asked as his father disappeared past the tree line.

The man on the Wall opened his mouth to answer when his own walkie-talkie went off.

Joey didn't hesitate. He tugged himself from the man's grasp, jumped over the Wall, and started running.

"Kid!" the man on the Wall shouted. "Get back— Shit! Tommy! Tommy, pick up!"

Joey ran into the tree line. He kept on running until his elation, fear, and exhaustion brought him to a halt. Joey finally looked around. Trees surrounded him. There was no sign of his father.

Joey cursed to himself as he realized that he had no idea where he was. He'd never been outside the Wall.

Joey slowly moved forward and almost puked as a stench carried by a gust of wind surrounded him. Joey moved forward quickly, hoping to outrun the rancid smell. It only got worse.

Joey froze. He listened and heard a deep, ragged breathing coming from behind the tree in front of him.

Joey slowly moved toward the sound.

"Da— dad?" Joey called cautiously, suddenly terrified.

The breathing stopped.

Joey saw a man shuffling around the tree.

The man stood hunched and was twitching incessantly.

Joey took a step back and snapped a twig.

The shuffling man looked at him.

For a split second, Joey saw a flash of red in the man's eyes.

The man screeched and charged forward.

Before it moved two steps toward Joey, there was a loud BANG and the man's head exploded open.

Joey screamed.

The man fell to the ground and blood flowed from his head.

Joey didn't move. He couldn't take his eyes off the corpse. He heard shuffling. Joey slowly turned his head and saw his father moving behind him, holding a rifle.

"Da—" Joey was immediately silenced when his father clamped a hand over his mouth.

His father gave him a stern look and looked around. After a few seconds, his father slowly lowered his hand.

Joey turned away from the corpse and took a deep breath. "Dad…"

"What the hell are you doing here?" his father snapped, keeping his voice low. "We told you that you are _never_ allowed to go over the Wall. Jackson is the only safe place left in the world."

Joey couldn't answer the question. He forced himself to look at the corpse, accepting the danger it had represented. He looked at his father. "Was that one of the monsters?"

"One kind. Infected aren't always the problem," his father replied quickly. He grabbed Joey and roughly turned him around to face him. "What are you doing out here?"

"You're going after them. Uncle Joel and Ellie," Joey finally said. He raised his voice, hoping to sound confident. "I want to help."

"I'm not going after them," Joey's father explained. "I'm doing something else. But it'll have to wait. I have to get you—"

"It's my fault," Joey blurted. He continued speaking before his father could interrupt him. "It's my fault. I said those things to Ellie yesterday morning and she left because—"

Joey's father knelt to eye level. "This is not your fault," he said firmly. He sighed, placing a hand on his son's shoulder. "Look, there's a whole hell of a lot more to what happened to Ellie and your uncle than what you know."

"Will they come back?" Joey asked, afraid of the answer.

"I don't know," his father answered. He squeezed Joey's shoulder. "I wish I did. But right now, that doesn't matter. What matters is getting you home. Your mother is going to… shit."

"What?" Joey asked looking around.

"Don't talk," his father said. He grabbed his walkie-talkie and turned it on to an explosion of dialogue.

Joey recognized the voice as his mother's.

Joey's father immediately started talking. "Maria, I got him. He's fine. He's with me."

"I'm going to kill him!" Joey heard his mother say.

"Yeah, get in line," Joey's father said, glancing at his son.

"Bring him home," Joey's mother said, somewhat calmer.

"I will," Joey's father assured his mother. He looked at his son.

Joey looked at the corpse again and nodded to himself. He looked at his father.

His father spoke again. "I already cleared the perimeter of the wreck. I'll do a quick sweep with Joey for supplies and we'll be home in less than an hour."

"Are you sure?" Joey's mother asked sternly.

"Yes," Joey's father promised. "We'll see you soon."

Joey opened his mouth to speak. His father held up a hand and silenced the walkie-talkie. He grabbed Joey by the arm and led him onward. As they crested a small hill, Joey saw what had created the stench.

The large wreckage in front of him contained multiple cars and trucks. There were bodies all around. As Joey gazed at their lifeless faces, he realized that some looked like the man his father had shot minutes before. Joey swallowed bile as he attempted not to allow his fear and disgust to show.

Joey's father walked in front of Joey and turned, grabbing the pistol from his belt. He held it out to Joey. Joey slowly took the gun and weighed it in his hand. His father walked behind Joey and grabbed his arm, slowly moving it.

"Aim and fire," his father said, motioning to the weapon's trigger. He turned Joey to look into his eyes. "You stay right next to me, and you don't use that gun unless I say so, understand?"

"I understand," Joey said, half entranced and half afraid of the weapon he now held in his hand.

"Good," his father said. They slowly started walking toward the wreckage. "Last night, during the attack and the storm, a lot of the monsters… Infected would have been moving around."

"Is that bad?" Joey asked.

"Sometimes," Joey's father said, constantly scanning their surroundings. "Sometimes the storms can lead them away. Unfortunately for this convoy here, it must have led the Infected right to them."

"Those uniforms," Joey said, slowly pointing at one of the bodies. "They look important. What were they doing here with all the trucks?"

"Another quarantine zone must have fallen," his father replied. "They were probably trying to find a safer place to go."

"What are _we_ doing here?" Joey said as they reached the first car.

"We're going to search for anything useful," his father answered. "If you see anything like medicine or food, you tell me. Don't. Touch. Anything."

"Okay," Joey said, tightening his grip on the pistol.

They spent the next couple minutes moving from vehicle to vehicle in search of supplies. Joey stood back as his father searched bodies inside of a truck. Joey tried his best to ignore the stench and resist the urge to look away from the death and destruction around him.

"Here we go," Joey's dad said with a hint of satisfaction.

Joey's father pocketed something, moved around to the other side of the truck they were standing next to, and started to pry open the door. Joey stood still as his father searched the large, canopy covered truck.

There was a rustling sound a few cars over.

Joey thought it was the wind until he heard the rustling again. He narrowed his eyes and, against his better judgment, moved toward the sound.

Joey leveled his pistol. When he turned the corner, he hesitated.

There was a young woman crouched in front of him, brandishing a scalpel.

The young woman couldn't have been more than a few years older than Joey himself. Her blond hair reached her shoulders. She wore a ripped pair of blue jeans, tattered shoes, and a grey zip-up sweater over a white t-shirt. Aside from a couple of scrapes and bruises, she appeared uninjured.

Joey took a small step forward.

The young woman stood, holding out her blade.

"Woah," Joey said, holding up his hands. "It's okay. I'm—"

The young woman shook her head and backed up a step only to find herself blocked by a truck.

"It's okay," Joey repeated. He consciously lowered the gun, realizing that he had no desire to use it. Joey took a small step forward. "It's alright. I'm not one of…whoever… whatever did this."

The young woman shook her head again and stepped forward bravely, pointing the scalpel at Joey's chest. Joey took a step back as his father came around the corner, his rifle raised. He slowly moved next to Joey as the young woman retreated again.

"You'll want to drop that scalpel," Joey's father said calmly but firmly. "If you don't, we can't help you."

The young woman shook her head again and tried to move away.

Before Joey even knew what he was doing, he tossed his pistol in front of the young woman.

"Joey!" his father said sternly and with no small amount of surprise. He moved forward to retrieve the gun.

The young woman quickly grabbed the weapon and started to raise it.

"Don't," Joey's father warned, leveling his weapon again.

"We can help you," Joey said, taking a small step forward.

"Joey," his father warned.

"We have a… a zone. It's close," Joey said, his voice shaking. He ignored his father and pointed in the direction of Jackson. "That way. It's close."

The young woman looked in the direction Joey was pointing, then back at his father.

Joey slowly used his arm to lower father's weapon.

The young woman looked around for a few seconds and shakily motioned with her gun, pointing in the direction of Jackson.

"No way," Joey's father said, keeping his rifle leveled. "Put the gun down first."

The young woman tightened her grip on the pistol and her scalpel. There was a tense silence.

Joey took a step between his father and the young woman. He kept his hands raised and pointed back the way they had come.

"I'll go first," Joey said. "Keep the gun pointed down… and I'll go first."

The young woman looked at Joey's father and the gun he held.

Joey's father shook his head, as if reading her mind. "I don't even want you holding the gun," he said, looking the young woman in the eye. "This is the deal you get."

The young woman slowly nodded and motioned for Joey to move.

Joey's father grabbed his son's shoulder, holding it firmly. "You and I are going to have a _very_ long talk about this later."

Joey slowly walked in the direction of Jackson County. Every few seconds, he would glance behind him. Each time, the young woman was looking determinedly ahead. Her grip on the gun and scalpel was as tight as ever.

The young woman stopped for a moment as the Wall surrounding Jackson came into view.

Joey stopped and looked her in the eye. "It's okay," he said cautiously. "These aren't like the other Quarantine Zone's. Well, that's what I've been told at least."

They reached the Wall a couple of minutes later.

Joey spotted his mother on top of a bus, a rifle pointing in their direction.

Joey looked down. _She's pissed._

They all stopped.

Joey saw his father exchange a nod with his mother.

Joey's mother pointed at the young woman. "You need to return that weapon," Joey's mother said firmly.

" _Her_ you won't be able to argue with," Joey's father said to the young woman. "I'd do it."

The young woman looked between them all for a moment took a few steps back, as if she was going to run back the way they had come. After a few seconds of tense silence, she moved the arm that held her gun, earning caution from the two adults.

The young woman finally knelt and placed the weapon on the ground a few feet from Joey. Joey slowly moved forward as the young woman renewed her grip on the scalpel. Joey put one hand up and grabbed the gun with the other, immediately stuffing it in his belt.

Joey's father stepped forward and looked at his wife. "Go ahead, Maria."

A ladder was lowered down.

Joey went up the ladder first.

His mother moved forward and roughly turned him, giving him a glare more powerful than words. A few seconds later, she smiled in relief and ruffled his hair.

Joey shyly offered his hand to the young woman as she ascended the ladder. She ignored the hand and stood on the Wall as Joey's father joined them.

After using the ladder to descend to the street below, the four stood apart. Off to the side, a few men appeared to greet them.

The girl slowly raised the scalpel as the men took a step forward.

"Has she been checked for infection?" Joey's mother asked.

"Not yet," Joey's father answered. "The scanners at the wreckage were busted and things got… complicated. There wasn't much to salvage either Wherever they came from, it wasn't close."

Joey's mother nodded and looked at the two other men. "Check her. Make sure there's no bite," she ordered.

The two men moved forward and the young woman lashed out with the scalpel, nearly cutting one of the two men. The other man attempted to rush forward and the young woman slashed again.

"Wait!" Joey shouted. He moved forward before the two men could make a second attempt. "Stop!"

"Joey!" his mother said sharply.

"Maria, hold up," Joey's father said calmly, placing a hand on her arm.

"Back off!" Joey said to the two men as his mother folded her arms.

The two men didn't move.

Joey placed himself between the two men and the young woman. "Just back off."

Joey turned toward the young woman, once again keeping his hands held in the air. He took a step forward.

The young woman took a small step back.

"They just want to make sure you haven't been infected," Joey needlessly explained. "It's the only thing stopping you from being able to stay."

Joey slowly reached into his belt and retrieved the pistol. He dropped it to the ground and slid it toward the young woman with his foot. He took a step back and nodded.

The young woman looked at him curiously. She slowly lifted one pant leg, then the other and turned, allowing everyone to see that there were no bites. Then she unzipped her sweater and pulled her arms out one sleeve at a time, always keeping her scalpel in hand.

Joey's mother moved forward, ignoring the scalpel and looking at the young woman's limbs. She took a step back and looked the young woman in the eye. "Are you infected?"

The young woman looked Joey's mother in the eye and shook her head.

Joey stood nervously for six seconds.

The two women didn't break eye contact.

Joey's mother turned to his father. "She's clear."

Joey let out a breath and saw the young woman do the same. She looked at Joey and made eye contact with him.

Joey's mother walked between them as his father placed a hand on Joey's shoulder.

"We've got a home that you can stay in," Joey's mother said to the young woman. "The people who live there are always willing to take newcomers in for a while. You can get some food and sleep there. It's safe."

The young woman nodded and stood next to Joey's mother.

The older woman started to lead the young woman away, placing a comforting hand around her shoulder.

The young woman didn't shy away.

After a few steps, the young woman stopped and turned, making eye contact with Joey again. She walked forward and kicked his weapon back to him.

Joey knelt and slowly grabbed the gun, unsure of what to say or do.

The young woman turned away, once again choosing not to speak.

Joey and his father walked back to the house. Joey didn't say a word as he entered. He walked to the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water. His father chose not to say a word either. He picked up the walkie-talkie on his belt and started checking with patrols along the Wall.

After an hour, Joey's mother returned home. She turned off her walkie-talkie and sat down across from Joey. After a few minutes of silence, Joey's father returned and stood next to his wife, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Joey set down his glass of water and looked them. He decided he would try to avoid the subject of him leaving Jackson County. "How is she? The girl. Does she like the house?"

"She's nervous," Joey's mother answered.

Joey nodded.

"Do you have any idea how much you scared us today?" Joey's mother continued.

"I have a pretty good idea," Joey replied.

"Do you really think so?" his mother asked sternly but calmly.

"Yeah, I do," Joey answered evenly. "It probably feels the same as all those times when you two leave me at the shop to go over the Wall."

"Joey," his father warned. "Turning this around on us isn't a good idea."

"If you know how it feels, then why did you leave?" his mother asked.

"I already told dad," Joey said, looking at his father. "I guess I was wrong."

"Damn right you were!" his father snapped. "You have to understand that when you do shit like this, it puts _all_ of Jackson at risk!"

"Worse," Joey's mom said, continuing where his father left off. " _You_ were in danger."

"Just like every other person who goes over the Wall," Joey argued.

"Joey," his father warned.

Joey fell silent and looked at the table.

His father sighed. "Son, you have to understand… we built Jackson for everyone."

"We keep it safe for _you_ ," Joey's mother finished.

Again, Joey didn't answer.

"So," Joey's father said. "Do you have anything to say to us?"

"Like what?" Joey asked.

"Maybe an apology," his mother suggested sharply. "For scaring us. And endangering yourself."

Joey shook his head. _I was right to go out there. I'm not going to apologize._ Joey looked at his parents. "Can I go to my room now?" he asked.

Joey's parents looked at each other. After a silent communication, they looked back at Joey.

Joey's father nodded. "Yeah, you can go. Don't _ever_ go over the Wall like that again."

"Okay," Joey said. He stood and moved toward the stairs.

"When you go to check on the girl later," his mom called, stopping him. "Use the front door. Don't go sneaking out the window."

Joey stayed in his room until the sun had set. He figured that avoiding his parents was the best way of avoiding uncomfortable silences.

Joey sighed and got off his bed, pulling on a blue sweater. He walked down the stairs and past his parents. "Be back soon," he said, grabbing a water bottle.

 ** _…_**

The young woman looked around the room that she had been given to sleep in. She felt like the walls were closing in and that the shadows in the unfamiliar corners were creeping toward her.

The young woman grabbed a blanket and a pillow from the bed. She moved downstairs and out the door, setting the blankets on the ground across the street from the house.

The young woman then returned to the house and quickly grabbed a plate that was left out for her, stacked it with food, and walked out the door again without a word.

As the young woman sat down next to her pillow and started eating from her plate, she relaxed, feeling safe-ish for the first time since she'd parted ways with the young man's mother. She placed the scalpel on the ground and began to eat.

Something rustled the bushes next to her.

The young woman grabbed the scalpel.

A few seconds later, a cat cautiously poked its head out.

The young woman slowly put down the scalpel.

The cat was a calico. It had green eyes and a long, fluffy tail. It took another step toward the young woman's plate. The young woman grabbed a scrap piece of meat and set it down in front of her.

The cat moved forward and sniffed the meat. The young woman reached her hand out and touched the cat. It purred quietly and started to eat the meat. The young woman took a bite of meat from her plate and began to pet the cat, smiling slightly.

"It's nice to see you smile," a voice said behind the young woman.

The young woman reached for her scalpel. She turned and saw it was the young man she had followed to Jackson. He held his hands at his sides where she could see them. In one hand, he held a water bottle. The young woman slowly lowered the blade and placed it on the ground.

 ** _…_**

Joey took the young woman placing the scalpel on the ground as permission to stay. He sat down a few feet across from her.

The cat she had next to her growled at him and took off into the bushes.

Joey laughed. "That cat's never liked anyone. I'm glad to see it found a friend."

The young woman glanced in the direction of the cat and nodded. She grabbed a piece of meat and continued to eat.

"So, you're still not going to talk to anyone?" Joey asked.

The young woman shook her head as she swallowed.

"Anytime you want me to leave, just say so," Joey said.

The young woman smiled slightly and took another bite.

Joey smiled as well and held out the water bottle he was holding.

The young woman stared at it for a moment before looking away.

Joey placed the bottle on the ground.

The young woman picked it up immediately, uncapped it, and downed half the bottle.

Joey sniggered.

The young woman blushed. She placed the bottle on the ground between them.

Joey shook his head. "You can keep it," he said. "I can bring another tomorrow."

The young woman nodded appreciatively and grabbed the water bottle, taking a slower drink.

They sat in silence for a few seconds before Joey lowered his voice. "You don't like being touched, do you? At least not by guys. You seemed to like my mom."

The young woman flashed him a look of warning.

"Sorry," Joey said, realizing he'd said something stupid. "I always sucked at talking to… well, I have to learn to think about what I say before I say it."

The young woman nodded again and looked away.

Joey looked at the makeshift bed next to the young woman. "Not a fan of beds _or_ people?"

The young woman shrugged and took another bite of her food.

Joey chuckled. "Weirdly enough, I've seen it before," he said. "Ellie and I did a few outdoor sleepovers. I was never a fan, but sometimes I think it's the only time _she_ slept well."

The young woman raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, Ellie," Joey stammered, not really understanding his own embarrassment. "She um, she was a friend of my uncle's. She's… she left this morning. She's not back yet."

The young woman looked down and grabbed a piece of meat, throwing it toward the bush the cat had disappeared into. A paw reached through the bushes, grabbed the meat, and tugged it out of sight.

Joey and the young woman stifled their laughs.

After a few more minutes of silence, Joey stood. "I should get home. My parents are already pissed. I wasn't exactly supposed to be out there this morning."

The young woman gave him a look that told him that anyone could have guessed the same thing.

"I don't suppose I can get a name before I go," Joey said.

The young woman opened her mouth for a moment, then closed it. She looked away.

Joey nodded. "Goodnight."

 ** _…_**

The young woman waited until the young man walked away. She grabbed her blanket and pillow, moving against a tree a short distance from the house.

After a moment, the young woman placed the pillow behind her and laid back, wrapping the blanket around herself. She closed her eyes. After a few minutes, she felt a pressure against her side. She looked down and saw the cat snuggling close to her blanket, purring loudly.

 ** _…_**

Joey walked back into the house as his mother turned off the light in the kitchen.

"How is she?" his mother asked ask Joey walked toward the stairs.

"She's… sleeping outside," Joey answered.

His mom raised an eyebrow.

Joey shrugged. "She doesn't like the bed, I guess."

"Well, we'll figure something for her," his mother replied. "In the meantime, we'll give her some space."

"As long as it doesn't rain, I think she'll be fine," Joey said. "Goodnight."

"'Night," his mother said.

Joey walked up the stairs and into his room. He stared at the shelf that he'd had to repair the day before after Ellie had shoved him into it. He got changed and laid down on the bed. After a couple minutes of staring at the ceiling, there was a knock on his door.

"Joey," his father said poking his head in. "Make sure you get sleep. We need you up early tomorrow."

"Got it," Joey said, forcing himself to close his eyes.

 ** _…_**

Unable to sleep, the young woman watched as the last of the lights in the houses around her dimmed.

The wind picked up and whistled through trees. The young woman forced herself to relax. A few seconds later, the cat crawled under the blanket and rested on her chest. The young woman closed her eyes again.

 ** _…_**

"Joey, wake up."

Joey opened his eyes to see his father standing over him. After rubbing his eyes, Joey looked out his window. The sun had just begun to rise.

Joey moaned.

"I said that I needed you up early," his father said with amusement in his voice.

"Early," Joey groaned.

"Get up," his father said, throwing clothes at him.

Joey looked at the clothes on his bed and noticed that they were smaller versions of what his father was wearing. Joey quickly climbed into a pair of blue jeans and a black jacket before walking down the stairs.

There was a writing pad, two pencils, and a walkie-talkie on the table next to his bowl. Joey sat down and grabbed the walkie-talkie, offering it to his mother, who was wearing a dark blue jacket and blue jeans.

"It's not for me," Joey's mother said.

Joey stared at the device in his hand for a moment, then at his mother. "Seriously?" he said excitedly.

Joey's mother nodded. "Your father and I had a long talk last night. And while we don't like how you ran off, we think you're ready to take on a little more responsibility."

"So, you're saying that I'll be going outside the Wall with you and dad?" Joey asked, confused.

"No," his mother said firmly. "But you can help out here, inside Jackson."

"How?" Joey asked.

"That's why you're up early," Joey's father said, entering the room. "I'm going to take you on my rounds. Show you how things work."

Joey smiled. _Finally. I can be more than just—_

"Don't get too excited," Joey's father said. "It means that you're up early any morning and up late any night."

"And you will have a much larger appreciation for coffee," Joey's mother added.

"Not if we find more soda," Joey replied.

"Or you can get used to waking up earlier," his father said.

 ** _…_**

The young woman awoke and brushed her hair behind her head. She turned over and noticed that the cat was gone.

The young woman felt a moment of sadness when she looked around and couldn't see the small animal. As she stretched and made her way back to the house across the street, she noticed a note on the door saying that there was food in the kitchen.

The young woman grabbed the food and brought it back outside. She set the meat aside for the cat that never showed up. The young woman ate a few scraps, placed the plate in back in the house, and stashed the pillow and blankets behind a nearby tree. She stood still for a few seconds, unsure of what to do next. She started walking.

 ** _…_**

Joey and his father exited the house fifteen minutes later.

"Alright, first things first," Joey's father said, pointing to the walkie-talkie in his son's hand. "You'll want to clip that to your belt. Keep them walkie-talkie's safe 'cuz those things don't come easy."

"Got it," Joey said, clipping the walkie-talkie to his belt. "Anything else?"

"Lots," his father replied. "Let's get started."

 ** _…_**

As the sun rose high into the sky, the young woman found herself next to one of the Walls surrounding Jackson County.

The young woman stared up at the Wall for a moment before climbing on top.

The two men on the Wall stopped talking for a moment, then exchanged shrugs and continued their conversation.

The young woman had no incentive to talk to them. She walked a short distance and sat down.

The young woman heard a familiar voice a few minutes later. She turned and saw the young man from the day before walking alongside his father.

The older man was talking quietly and pointing at separate spots on the Wall and to various people.

The young man was listening intently.

 ** _…_**

"So," Joey's father finished. "If you ever hear anything over the Wall, see anything, or somebody is missing their shift, you—"

"Call you or mom on the walkie-talkie," Joey finished. "I think you've said that three times now."

"If you want to go back to helping your mom with chores…" Joey's father began.

"Sorry," Joey said, yawning.

"What did we say you'd learn this morning?" his father asked.

"An appreciation for coffee," Joey said, looking down.

"Or?"

"Or I'll start waking up earlier."

"That-a-boy," his father said with a small smile. "Let's head over to the south side of the Wall. We have to check on a few things. I'll show how we do orientation for newcomers."

"I've already done that," Joey grumbled.

"Get used to repetition," his father chastised. "It keeps everything running and everyone alive."

Joey glanced up and saw the young woman from the night before. He raised his hand in shy greeting.

The young woman slowly raised her hand for a moment as well, her face unreadable.

"Orientation _without_ putting your life in a stranger's hands," Joey's father said quietly, noticing the exchange. He ruffled his son's hair and turned away. "Keep focused. C'mon."

Joey quickly brushed his hair down and turned away, catching a glimpse of the young woman smiling.

As they walked to the south side of the Wall, Joey looked at a newly abandoned house.

"Dad?" Joey said carefully. "Is anyone moving into Ester's old house? I mean, she's already living with that guy she's going to marry."

"Hey," his father said with a chuckle. "Just because we're giving you more responsibility doesn't mean your mother and I are ready let you move out on your own."

"I'm not asking for me," Joey said.

"The girl," his father guessed. He laughed. "What is it with you and this girl."

"I don't know," Joey said with a shrug. "I like her."

"Are we talking _like_ like, or just like?" his father teased.

"Dad…" Joey said, turning away as his face turned red. "I think she needs a friend, that's all."

"She's not the only one," his father said lowering his voice.

"This again?" Joey said. "I just don't feel like talking to some people."

"Why?" his father pressed.

"They look at me like I'm…" Joey scratched the back of his head and changed the subject. "Would you just answer my question about the house?"

"Tell you what," his father said. "You get through the rest of the day with minimal smartass comments and complaining… and you can ask the girl about the house."

Joey nodded.

"I don't suppose you got her name," his father said.

Joey shook his head. "Not for the lack of trying."

"You tried to talk to a girl," his father said lightly, turning around. "That's progress."

Joey stifled his response.

 ** _…_**

The young woman spent the day exploring Jackson. Aside from returning a few polite nods, she kept to herself and avoided people as much as possible.

The young woman found herself back near the house she'd been given to sleep in the night before. She walked in the unlocked door, grabbed a plate of food, and walked outside. The sun began to set as she sat down to eat, wondering what she would do the next day.

The cat from the night before came out of the bushes a few minutes later and sat next to the young woman expectantly. The young woman offered the cat some food.

She sat with it for a while before the young man she'd seen with his father walked down the street. He stopped as the cat growled. The young woman smiled as the young man slowly walked forward. The young woman offered him some food.

 ** _…_**

Joey shook his head politely and held out the key he had in his hand.

The young woman reached for it, then pulled her hand back.

Joey nodded and retracted his hand. "You want to know what it unlocks?"

The young woman thought for a moment, then shrugged. She picked up her plate. They returned the food, sheets, and pillows to the house.

"Ready?" Joey asked.

The young woman shrugged again.

Joey led the way though Jackson County. After a couple of blocks, he glanced over his shoulder and noticed the cat trailing behind them.

Joey eventually stopped them next to a single-story house. The young woman stared at it cautiously, then looked at the key in Joey's hand.

Joey shrugged. "The owner moved out a few days ago," he explained. "It's pretty empty. But I figured you could use a place of your own."

The young woman looked at the house again, then back at Joey, caution and confusion on her face.

"It's better than sleeping outside all the time," Joey said nervously. "It can get pretty cold some nights."

After a moment of silence, Joey moved to the door and inserted the key.

The young woman waited until he'd moved back a few feet before walking up to it.

"It's yours if you want it," Joey said, taking another step back.

The young woman moved forward and slowly turned the key, opening the door. She stood just inside the house for a moment. She turned to Joey and nodded.

Joey nodded as well. "Your welcome."

The young woman moved past the doorway.

"So…" Joey started awkwardly. "When new people come into Jackson and asks whose house this is, what should I say?"

The young woman smiled evilly and closed the door.

Joey looked down and chuckled. "Worth a shot."

As Joey turned away, he noticed the cat slip into the bushes a few houses away.

Joey nodded to himself and walked to the shop. He moved aside as a few men walked out. Joey walked in and began to look around.

"I was just about to close up, kid," the shopkeeper said behind him. "Looking for something specific?"

Joey turned. "Do you happen to have any traps that _don't_ kill?"

"Depends on the animal," the shopkeeper answered, scratching his beard. "How big?"

"It's for a cat," Joey replied.

"I've got just the thing," the shopkeeper said.

Joey followed the shopkeeper to the back of the store where he was handed a case with a closable cage door.

"Thanks," Joey said as he grabbed the box.

The shopkeeper grabbed a pair of thick gloves off a nearby shelf and threw them on top of the box.

"What are these for?" Joey asked.

The shopkeeper grinned.

 ** _…_**

The young woman laid down on the couch, pulling a spare blanket she'd found over her. She made sure that she could see the front door.

The young woman attempted to sleep, but felt too restless. She stood and started to walk around the house.

 ** _…_**

Joey put on the gloves and set the box on the ground, leaving the cage door open. He slowly crept toward the side of the house he'd seen the cat disappear next to.

After a few seconds, Joey spotted the cat near an old dumpster behind the house.

The cat saw Joey and jumped into the dumpster.

Joey sighed in frustration and brought the box closer. He took a deep breath and pulled the sleeves of his jacket down over the gloves.

The cat growled.

Joey stuck his hand in the dumpster and grabbed the cat by the scruff of its neck.

"Ow! Shit, that hurts!" Joey exclaimed as the cat wrapped itself around his arm and started biting and clawing.

Joey put his other hand on the cat to make sure it couldn't escape. He knelt and quickly shoved the cat inside the box. The cat didn't let go of Joey's gloved hand.

Joey attempted to pry the animal off. When force failed, he straightened his fingers and yanked his hand out of the glove.

Joey quickly shoved the door shut as the cat launched itself against it, hissing and growling.

"You'll like me later," Joey grunted as he latched the door.

Joey sat back for a moment, breathing heavily before sitting up and grabbing the closed box.

The cat continued to growl and hiss its opinion.

Joey walked past the front of the house he'd found the cat behind and gave the confused owners a wave. Once on the street, he set down the box, grabbing a pencil and a piece of paper from his notepad.

After a completing the note, he reread it twice.

This is for you.

Now you have someone to talk to and the cat doesn't have to hiss and growl at everyone!

Joey nodded, walked up to the young woman's new house, and knocked on the door.

The young woman answered almost immediately.

Joey didn't say a word. He simply handed her the box from which the cat was still growling and hissing.

The young woman took the box, set it on the floor, and unlatched it.

The cat bolted out of the confined space immediately and jumped onto the couch, finally dropping the glove. It hissed at Joey and burrowed under the blankets where it continued to growl.

Joey and the young woman laughed.

Joey looked at the young woman and opened his mouth to say something. He closed it almost immediately, deciding not to speak. He gave the young woman the note he'd written before tossing the glove over by the couch.

The young woman unfolded the note and began to read, A hint of a smile forming on her face as she finished.

They looked at each other, waiting for the other to speak.

After a few seconds of silence, Joey decided it was time for him to leave. "Have a good night," he said awkwardly, turning away. "The cat can keep the glove."

"Heather."

"What?" Joey asked, swinging around.

"My name," the young woman said. "My name is Heather."

"Nice to finally meet you, Heather," Joey replied, extending his hand. "My name is Joey."

Heather looked at the hand but didn't take it.

Joey nodded. "It's fine," he said calmly. "The names a good start."

Heather looked away apologetically.

"Goodnight," Joey said again.

 ** _…_**

Heather nodded and Joey left with a sheepish smile. After closing the door, she smiled and placed the note on the table before walking over to the couch.

Heather sighed, picked up the blankets, and moved the cat onto the floor. As Heather laid down on the couch and started to get settled under the blanket, the cat climbed on top of her and curled into a ball, purring contently.

Heather closed her eyes and slept peacefully for the first time in Jackson.


	6. Joey and Heather Part I: New Community

Two months following the events of "First Words"

Joey sighed as his walkie-talkie chimed again.

"Alright, Joey," Joey's father said through the walkie-talkie. "It's your first day on a Wall shift by yourself. What's the pass code for newcomers?"

"Five-four-nine-two-three-nine-zero-two," Joey answered in monotone pulling at his blue jacket and tapping his blue jeans impatiently. He kept his eyes on the road leading to Jackson. "We went over this earlier, dad."

"What else did we go over?" his father pressed.

"There's no electric fence on this side of Jackson. So, I have to be extra careful. Watch my surroundings, don't go over the Wall, call for backup if somebody show's up," Joey said with a yawn. "If anybody _does_ come in, double-check them for bites and get their name and reason for being out there in the first place."

"Good job," his father replied. "Only next time, cut the attitude. And if a girl starts talking to you, be nice."

Joey rolled his eyes and spoke quietly into the walkie-talkie. "I'm pretty sure that there's only one girl in Jackson who even tolerates me. So, that shouldn't be a problem."

Joey's mother joined in the conversation, her voice coming through Joey's walkie-talkie. "Also, don't forget that all these radios are connected. So, don't say anything inappropriate or embarrassing. By the way, Heather's here helping me make the lunches. She says 'hi'."

Joey placed his face in his hand and shook his head.

The day passed with nothing new from any of the days previous. Joey gave his bi-hourly reports and continued to watch the horizon. There was frequent talk coming through the walkie-talkies from the west end of town where they had decided to expand Jackson to the next group of houses a few blocks away.

Joey kept the gun that his father had given him on the RV next to him.

As the afternoon sun reached the highest point in the sky, Joey heard a loud BANG.

Joey was on his feet with the gun in hand in moments. He heard the sound again. _That's not a gun…_

A moment later, a large, muddy truck with an open back and a cab with room for two rolled out of the trees a few hundred feet away.

Joey called for backup.

The truck backfired one last time before turning and starting to slow down as it moved toward the Wall, finally coming to a stop.

Joey was joined by the two men with guns a few seconds later. Joey gripped his gun tighter.

A younger man with torn blue jeans and a dirty blue shirt covered in dried blood stepped out of the truck with a gun in hand. The younger man also had a variety of knives in his belt.

"Drop it!" Joey shouted.

The young man lowered the weapon to his side, holding one hand in the air.

"I said drop the gun!" Joey said loudly.

"I can't," the young man said, expelling bravery beyond his youth as he crossed in front of the truck. He made a point of keeping the gun pointed at the ground but held it just above his stomach. "Not until I know it's safe."

"It's safe," Joey assured him. "It'll be safer if you drop the gun."

The younger man glanced into the passenger seat and shook his head. He looked at Joey. "Not until you do."

"I can't take that risk," Joey argued, remembering his training. He thought for a moment. "I'll tell my buddies to back off. It'll be you and me until we can figure out what happens next."

The younger man looked at the truck for a moment and nodded. He motioned to the two men next to Joey. "Get rid of them first."

"I got this," Joey said to the men next to him.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

The two men dismounted the RV, leaving their guns with Joey.

"Are you lost?" Joey asked the young man, keeping his gun leveled.

"I hope not," the young man replied.

"What are you looking for?"

"We're looking for Jackson County," the young man answered.

"You found it," Joey replied. He slowly lowered the gun, then registered what the young man had said. He leveled his weapon again. "Who's _we_?"

The young man gripped his weapon in both hands. "I need to know we're safe."

"Lower the gun and we can let you in," Joey tried to say diplomatically.

"I can't," the young man firmly.

Joey shook his head, knowing the argument wasn't getting anywhere. "Alright," he said. He turned the rifle sideways and showed it to the younger man. "This is one-shot rifle. I've already sent my friends away. If there are more than one of you I'm not going to be much of a threat."

"Eject the bullet," the young man said.

Joey reached into his pocket and grabbed out the few spare rounds he had, casting them to the ground beyond the RV. "That's the best you're going to get."

The young man glanced into the truck again and slowly nodded, opening the door.

A young girl, about six-years-old crawled out. She had blond hair, wore dark colored, ripped jeans that were at least a size too small, and a purple shirt.

Joey's eyes widened and he lowered the gun, looking behind him. "Get the ladder."

"Are you sure?" someone asked.

"Do it," Joey ordered.

Somebody handed Joey the ladder a few seconds later and he set it on the outside of the RV. The young man brought the girl up to it and knelt, whispering in her ear. He allowed her to wrap her arms around him as he grabbed Joey's discarded bullets. He ascended the ladder with the girl on his back.

Joey took the bullets that the young man offered and extended his hand.

The young man hesitantly took the hand, allowing Joey to help him and the girl onto the RV.

The little girl remined silent and looked like she was trying to put on a brave face.

The young man tensed up as a few men below gripped their weapons.

"Set them down," Joey said with as much authority as possible.

The men slowly placed their weapons on the ground.

Joey turned to the young man. "It's cool."

The young man allowed the girl to slide off him. He gripped her hand tightly and kept her behind him.

"So, what happens now?" the young man asked.

"Well…" Joey said, trying to remember what his mother and father had taught him. His walkie-talkie chimed. Joey held up a finger. "One moment."

"What's going on?" his father asked through the walkie-talkie.

"We've got two survivors," Joey said, his eyes lingering on the girl. "They're young. Younger than me."

"Can you handle it?" his father asked.

"I got it," Joey assured him.

"I'll be there in about twenty minutes," his father said.

"I'll get them ready," Joey said. He turned to the young man. "I'm going to need you to lift up your sleeves and pant legs. I have to check for bites."

The young man hesitated but did as Joey asked. He knelt and did the same with the young girl, who was still silent.

Joey held up a hand, letting it hover an inch from the young man's chest. "May I?"

The young man nodded.

Joey began pressing firmly on the young man's chest, probing for sudden reactions to pain that could hint at a bite or wound. Joey backed up.

The young man turned and did the same to his sister, speaking quietly to her.

"That's good," Joey said. He looked at the little girl. She now looked curious but continued to grip the young man's hand tightly. Joey took a few steps back and knelt to her level. "You're safe here."

"Now what?" the young man asked, placing his other hand on the young girl's shoulder.

"Orientation," Joey answered. "Could you please lower the gun?"

The young man smiled sheepishly and placed the weapon in his belt.

Joey looked over the young man's shoulder to make sure someone had taken his place on the Wall.

Heather walked up next to Joey, wearing her blue jeans and white t-shirt. She was also holding a bag of sandwiches.

Joey turned and nodded his greeting before returning his gaze to the young man and the little girl.

"What does orientation involve," the young man asked cautiously.

"It's pretty simple," Joey assured him. "I've just got to ask you a few questions."

"Such as?" the young man asked as Heather handed him a sandwich from her bag.

"How about a name?" Joey said. "Mine's Joey by the way."

"Tim," the young man said. He handed the little girl the sandwich. "This is my sister, Clarisse."

"That was easy," Joey said, almost to himself. "So… how old are you."

"Old enough," Tim answered. He helped his sister open the bag and handed her the sandwich. "Age hasn't meant much the last few months."

"Fair answer," Joey said. He sighed. "This 'greeting newcomers into Jackson' is kinda a first for me. So, I'm sorry if this feels weird."

"I'm just happy we've finally gotten here," Tim replied, releasing Clarisse's hand in Jackson for the first time.

"Where are you from?" Joey asked, grabbing a notepad and a pencil from his back pocket.

 ** _…_**

Heather moved closer to the little girl as Joey started asking Tim various questions.

A small scrape on Clarisse's knee caught Heather's eye.

The young girl stopped chewing with a mouthful of sandwich and eyed Heather cautiously.

Heather knelt and held out her hand. "I'm Heather."

Clarisse glanced at her brother.

Tim looked at Joey.

"She's good," Joey assured him.

Tim nodded at Clarisse.

"I'm Clarisse," the girl said after she swallowed the food. She held out her hand.

Heather gently shook it. "Does your knee hurt?" she asked.

"A little," Clarisse answered after a few seconds. She lowered her voice. "I don't want to tell Timmy."

"Can I take a look?" Heather asked. "My mom used to be a doctor in the… a long time ago."

"Since when?" Joey asked, ceasing his conversation with Tim.

"Since I finally decided to tell someone," Heather said. She winked at Clarisse, earning a smile.

Joey shook his head and continued his questions.

Clarisse slowly raised her pant leg. There was a small scrape with some dried blood on it. It looked to be a couple of days old.

"Doesn't look too bad," Heather said after a few seconds. She reached into her bag and grabbed a rag and a water bottle. She got the rag wet and pointed at Clarisse's knee. "May I?"

 ** _…_**

"Almost done," Joey said. He looked at Tim's shirt. "That's not your blood, is it?"

"No," Tim answered.

"Are you from another group?"

"No."

"Is there anybody after you?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Tim said. He glanced at Clarisse who was talking quietly with Heather.

 ** _…_**

"Alright," Heather said, pulling a band-aid out of her pocket. "This is going to sting. But it'll make your knee hurt less later."

"How?" Clarisse asked, wincing slightly as Heather pressed the band-aid down.

"Magic," Heather said with a small smile.

Clarisse smiled and pulled the pant leg down over the now covered scrape. "I like you," she said.

"I like you too," Heather replied, wringing out the rag she'd used.

"You remind me of my other friend," the little girl continued.

"Yeah?" Heather said as she placed the rag back into her bag. "What was your friend's name?"

"Ellie."

Heather dropped the bag.

 ** _…_**

"So, the last question that I have to ask you right now is what supplies you have and what you can contribute to right now?" Joey said.

"I doubt that's going to be the last question," Tim said with an amused glint in his eye.

Joey raised an eyebrow. "Why—"

"Joey!" Heather called. "The friend of your uncle's. What was her name?"

"Ellie," Joey answered. "Why?"

"You know Ellie too?" Clarisse asked excitedly.

Joey glanced at Tim.

Tim looked down for a moment. "I was about to tell you."

"Give me a sec," Joey said, grabbing his walkie-talkie. "Dad, we need you over here now."

"I thought you said you could handle it," his father teased.

"Dad," Joey said quickly. He took a deep breath. "They met Ellie."

There was a brief silence before the walkie-talkie chimed again. "I'll be right there."

Joey turned back to Tim. They both remained silent for a few seconds as Clarisse and Heather watched off to the side with interest.

"Where and when?" Joey asked.

"Last week," Tim answered. "Colorado."

"Was she safe?" Joey asked quickly. "Ellie. Was she safe? Did you see my uncle? He's older. Has a beard. Was he safe?"

"As safe as they could be," Tim replied carefully. "We met up with her father the next morning. We sent him in their direction."

"She's still moving, but Uncle Joel is close." Joey said to himself as he gazed at the ground. He looked up. "You said 'them' and 'their'. Someone's with Ellie?"

"Yeah," Tim said quickly. "Yeah. Ellie's boyfriend or whatever he is… he's with her."

"Boyfriend?" Joey repeated.

They all turned as Joey's father walked forward. "Joey."

There was another silence as everyone looked at each other.

Tim finally gulped and walked forward. "Are you Tommy?" he asked.

"Yes," Joey's father answered.

"Joel has a message for you."

 ** _…_**

Heather and Joey sat off to the side as Tim and Clarisse sat down at a nearby table with Tommy.

As they watched Tommy and the young man talk quietly with the little girl nearby, petting a horse, Heather slowly reached into her bag and handed Joey a sandwich.

Joey shook his head. "I'm not hungry."

"You're in a mood," Heather said.

"I'm not in a mood," Joey argued.

"You're not talking and you refused free food," Heather replied calmly. "You're in a mood."

Joey sighed and shook his head. "She should have come back by now. Now, she's going to fucking Texas."

"And your swearing," Heather grumbled. "That's a new one."

Joey didn't answer. He looked at the Wall.

Heather took a deep breath. "I know that you don't want to talk about Ellie and I've always tried to respect that. God knows I have shit in my life that I don't want to talk about, but… I'd like to know who she was."

"She was my uncle's friend," Joey said as he always had.

"What was she to you?" Heather pressed. "I mean what was she an ex-girlfriend or something?"

Joey laughed for the first time in hours. "No," he said quickly, his face turning red. "I mean, she was my friend or maybe more like a…"

Heather nodded and let the conversation come to an end. She smiled slightly. "Before you found me, was _she_ the only girl who would tolerate you?"

"I didn't actually have a lot of friends," Joey said, his face growing redder.

"Didn't or doesn't?" Heather teased. She thought about Joey's answer and lowered her voice. "Was it that you couldn't make friends, or that you didn't want to?"

Joey reached over, grabbed the sandwich, and took a bite.

Heather took the hint and ended the conversation entirely.

"Joey," Tommy called. "Can you come here?"

Joey stood.

Heather stayed where she was and looked down. _Time to go home._

"Hey."

Heather looked up and saw Joey over her.

"You coming?" Joey asked.

Heather smiled and shrugged. She politely waved off the hand Joey offered her and stood.

"So, we've got two more residents," Tommy explained when Joey and Heather approached. "They'd prefer to have a house to themselves."

"Sorry to be a pain," Tim said with a sheepish smile. "But I'd like to be close to my sister. And we're used to being alone."

"You're not a pain," Heather said quickly.

"Do you have a place in mind?" Joey asked his father.

"The Wall on the west end is complete and the first shift started an hour ago," Tommy said. "I told young Tim here that if he can get one of those houses cleaned out, he and his sister can have one."

"Well, if you need any help," Joey said, stepping forward. "I'm—"

Heather cleared her throat.

"We," Joey said correcting himself, much to Clarisse's amusement. "We are off tomorrow."

"I'd appreciate that," Tim said.

"In the meantime, you can use Joel and Ellie's house," Tommy said. "We'll be right across the street if you need anything."

They were all silent for a moment as a conversation went through the walkie-talkies.

The sun had long since set and the rest of the evening shifts were about to change.

Clarisse yawned.

Tim knelt and spoke to her for a few seconds. "It's been a long day," Tim finally said, grabbing his sister's hand. "If it's alright with you guys, I'd like to check out the houses, then call it a night."

"Follow us," Joey said.

Heather and Joey led Tim and Clarisse to the crest of a hill overlooking the west end of Jackson. Although the sun was down, there were still a lot of people out working on the street and along the Wall.

The lights in the buildings were all on and families were moving in and out of various houses. Groups of people were working on repairing roofs and doors. Every few seconds, random bursts of laughter could be heard.

"Cool," Clarisse exclaimed.

"Yeah…" Tim said. He looked at Joey and Heather. "I didn't know that these places existed."

"I don't think a lot of us did," Heather said. She glanced at Joey who looked confused and almost sad, as if he couldn't see what they saw. Heather placed a hand on his shoulder for half a second. "I've seen that it takes a lot of work to keep it up and running."

"My dad says this place gives people who've been out there a second chance," Joey finally said. "I guess it's our job to keep it that way."

"We'll always need a job," Tim said, almost to himself. He looked at Heather. "So, Joey is the son of the leaders. What's your story?"

Heather saw Joey look down and stare at the ground. The look was gone seconds later as he looked up again.

Heather turned to Tim. "My story is… better than it was."

Heather and Joey exchanged small smiles and turned to look at the new community being built below.


	7. Joey and Heather Part I: The Fire

Five months following the events of "The New Community"

Joey and Heather finally came to a stop next to the north side of the Wall. The setting sun made the sweat on their faces glisten. Both were dressed in blue jeans and blue t-shirts that had been found during the west side clean-up.

"You got a lot further that time," Heather said, handing on Joey a water bottle.

"Remind me again why running is fun to you," Joey said, gratefully accepting the water.

"Who said it was supposed to be fun?" Heather said with a laugh. "It's good for you."

"Right," Joey said with a small chuckle. "Well, I don't know by first-hand experience, but my dad said that out there running was a great way to attract a lot of attention and get yourself killed."

"Or it can be the only way to survive," Heather argued, taking a swig of her own water.

"That means that you sucked at sneaking," Joey teased.

Heather's voice turned harsh. "Well, sometimes running is your only option."

"Sorry," Joey said, surprised by the sudden change in tone. "I was only joking."

"I know," Heather said, lowering her voice. She sighed as the sun hit the horizon. "I overacted."

They drank in silence until the sun had set completely.

"You know if it makes you feel any better," Joey finally said. "When I went over the Wall, I almost got eaten. I didn't even try to run."

Heather laughed. "That doesn't make me feel any better, but it doesn't surprise me either."

"Ouch."

Heather took another drink of water. "You never told me why you were out there."

"My dad was looking for supplies in the convoy we found you in," Joey said simply.

"But _you_ weren't," Heather pressed.

Joey shook his head and sighed. "At first, I thought he was looking for Uncle Joel and Ellie."

"And?"

"And I said something stupid," Joey continued. He shook his head. "The night Ellie left… actually that morning, I'd said something stupid and at the time, I thought that I was the reason she left."

"You obviously didn't find her," Heather said regretfully. She looked away. "I'm sorry."

Joey shrugged. "We found you. At least something went right that week."

Heather nodded. She opened her mouth to reply but was interrupted by the chiming of the walkie-talkie on Joey's belt.

"Joey, you got a sec?"

Joey unclipped the walkie-talkie. "Go ahead, mom."

"Why are you breathing so hard?"

"I was jogging with Heather," Joey answered. "What's up?"

"That girl is so good for you," his mother commented.

"What's up, mom?" Joey repeated, attempting to keep the groan out of his voice.

Heather smiled and looked away again.

"Your fathers' got to head over to the east end of town with Tim," his mom explained. "Something about a flooded house. Can you take the shift tonight?"

"No problem," Joey said.

"Thanks, hon'."

"Duty calls," Joey grunted, standing up. "Again."

"I'll see you tomorrow," Heather said. "Tim will probably ask me to watch Clarisse while he's dealing with the house."

"See you," Joey said.

Joey made his way to the western section of the Wall. It was dark by the time he climbed the ladder.

"Hey, Joey," the man on the Wall said. "Taking another shift for your dad?"

"Yup," Joey answered.

"Your family never sleeps," the man said with a chuckle.

"Nope," Joey said. He grabbed the man's weapon and sat down, hoping the conversation would end. He decided to change the subject. "Anything new?"

"Did you hear about the new family that came in?"

"Yeah," Joey answered. "Three. Mom, dad, daughter. They brought in a military scanner with them. All clear."

"Pretty much," the older man said, standing up. "I appreciate you relieving me."

"You're welcome," Joey said as the man started climbing down the ladder.

Joey spent the night on the Wall in silence. When the shift came to an end around two in the morning, Joey handed his rifle off to the next man on the shift and gave him a short briefing.

As Joey descended the ladder, he spotted Heather walking on the opposite end of the street. She was still wearing the same clothes from earlier. Her cat, now named Arata, trailed behind.

"Do you ever sleep?" Joey asked as he caught up to her.

"Not after the nightmares," Heather said.

"I'm just going to assume that you don't want to talk about them," Joey said. He nodded at Arata as the cat hissed at him.

Heather didn't answer.

They continued walking in silence.

Joey's walkie-talkie chimed.

"Hey, Tommy," a man said.

"What's up, Ted?" Joey's father answered.

"I was taking a look at this military scanner that new family brought in. There were a few wires not attached and it looks like the screen was stuck on 'clear'.

"Did you get it fixed?"

"Yeah, I got it. But I don't know how thoroughly the boys checked them this morning."

"It's probably nothing," Tommy said. "But we should check on them anyway. Any volunteers?"

Joey looked at Heather, who shrugged. Joey grabbed the walkie-talkie. "Hey dad, it's Joey. I'm nearby. You want me to take care of it?"

"Sure. Thanks, Joey."

Joey nodded and clipped the walkie-talkie onto his belt.

"You're having a long day," Heather commented.

"Better than sitting around and doing nothing," Joey replied.

"Funny. I thought that you didn't like doing long days," Heather teased.

"It's not the long days or the work that bothers me," Joey said as they neared the house provided to the new family. "It's the way people… do you smell that?"

Heather stopped and sniffed. "Yeah… It smells like— Look!"

"Shit!" Joey said loudly.

The house that the new family had been provided earlier in the day was on fire.

Joey ran forward and shouted into his walkie-talkie. "The damn house is on fire! Fire! West Jackson!"

Several voices started shouting through the walkie-talkie at the same time. Joey made his way to the house as Heather ran past and started knocking on all the doors to houses in the area for help.

Joey moved close to the new family's house. The roof had caught fire and flame threatened to leap out the windows. There was smoke everywhere.

Joey listened closely and heard a loud scream. _The girl!_

 ** _…_**

Heather moved aside as multiple people ran out of their houses with small, makeshift water buckets.

A group of people ran to an old, short hose attached to one of the houses.

Heather looked over and saw an old trash bin on the ground. She grabbed it, shook out its contents, and ran over to the hose. Once the bin was filled, she ran to the nearest window and threw the water into the house.

Even after several tries and Joey grabbing a bin of his own, the water had done little to extinguish the fire.

Tommy and Maria arrived to help, both wearing black shirts and pants.

"Ignore the house!" Tommy shouted. "Make sure the fire doesn't spread outside!"

"There's still someone in there!" Joey argued as he went to grab more water.

"There's nothing we can do!" Maria argued, grabbing his arm. "If someone was going to get out, they would have!"

Heather ran to the hose again as Joey ran around to the side of the house. Heather returned to the house with more water as Joey came around the other side and ran straight through the front door.

"Joey!" Heather shouted.

Tommy froze and looked at Heather.

Heather pointed to the front door. "He just went in!"

Heather, Tommy, and Maria arrived at the front door of the house simultaneously. The building was now engulfed in flame. Heather started to move forward as a large chunk of wood fell in front of them and sent flame, sparks, and ash spilling out of the house.

Maria pulled Heather back as Tommy cursed and ran around the side of the house.

 ** _…_**

Joey coughed and covered his mouth with the hem of his shirt.

There was smoke and flame everywhere, making it impossible to see more than a few feet in front of him.

Joey found himself in the middle of the living room. He felt an even more intense heat to the left. Joey, ignoring the pain the smoke caused to his eyes, slowly moved forward and saw that the flames had billowed out of the old fireplace and leapt to a nearby carpet.

"Where are you?" Joey shouted.

"Help!" a small voice cried in reply.

Joey tried to follow the voice and saw a figure through the smoke.

"I see you!" Joey said.

Joey moved toward the figure and suddenly tripped. He fell to the ground and instinctively breathed in, sucking smoke into his lungs. Joey gagged, clamped his shirt over his mouth, and slowly stood. He saw that the object he had stumbled on was a body of a middle-aged man.

There was a large bite mark on his neck.

Joey swore and quickly turned as an infected woman came running toward him through the flames, squealing loudly. Joey turned and ran back. The Infected gave chase. Joey quickly upended a nearby table and kept running.

A chunk of the ceiling detached in a shower of sparks and fell onto the Infected's head. The Infected stumbled and tripped over the table. Joey dove aside as the Infected barreled past him and into a couch that was already engulfed in flame.

The Infected flailed and screamed as it was engulfed in flames. It tried to rise and move forward but stumbled and fell into the carpet.

Joey turned away from the sight and ran through the kitchen and into an adjoining bedroom. He received a small burn on his hand as he touched an old pillar that rose to the ceiling just outside the bedroom.

There was a loud crack followed by a screech. Joey stumbled over to the closet and yanked it open. Under a broken shelf and a set of boxes was a little girl.

"It's alright!" Joey coughed. "Close your eyes and give me your hand!"

The little girl closed her eyes and extended her arm. Joey reached in and grabbed the little girl, yanking her out from under the light debris. He turned and moved to the door as the girl continued to cry.

There was another loud CRACK.

Joey quickly leapt back as the support pillar he had burnt his hand on fell, blocking his path.

Joey froze for a second and looked at the little girl. Her eyes were wide open and full of fear.

Joey quickly raised her shirt to her mouth. "It'll be… alright!" he sputtered through the smoke. "Just keep your eyes closed!"

Joey ran back into the bedroom.

The smoke was getting thicker.

Joey crouched and crawled toward the opposite wall where there was a closed window. To the left of the window there was a wardrobe, set aflame by a nearby bed. The carpet the wardrobe rested on was also on fire.

Joey ran forward.

 ** _…_**

Heather finished another circle around the house and spotted Joey trying to yank open a nearby window.

Heather quickly looked around and spotted a pile of rubble and bricks. Heather picked up the brick, ran to the window and waved Joey back.

Joey nodded and stood off to the side.

Heather threw the brick as hard as she could. It flew through the window and shattered two panes of glass.

Tommy and Maria ran around the corner a second later.

Tommy froze.

Maria grabbed her husband's shoulder. "Get the trash can!"

Tommy snapped out of his daze and ran out of sight.

 ** _…_**

Joey examined the window and found that the broken panes still didn't provide enough room to allow escape.

Joey looked out the window. He could just barely see Heather on the other side.

Forcing a second wind of energy, Joey grabbed the brick and started slamming it against the window, attempting to break as much of the glass as possible.

A few seconds later, Joey took a step back with the girl still in hand as his father and mother ran up to the window with a grey trash can. His parents swung the trash can as hard as they could, breaking the majority of the glass. After making a few more swipes, they had removed most of the glass and the half rotted and burnt wooden frame.

Joey ran forward as one of the burning legs of the wardrobe snapped.

Joey shoved the girl in front of him and out of the way as the flaming wardrobe tipped onto his left shoulder, arm, and hand.

Joey screamed in agony as he experienced the most intense and searing pain he had ever felt in his life before forcing himself to dive sideways onto the floor as the wardrobe crashed to the ground.

"Are you okay?" Joey asked the little girl who was rising to her feet.

The little girl nodded.

"Joey!" Heather shouted. He saw her run forward, standing close to the window with her arms outstretched.

"Take… her!" Joey coughed through the fire and pain.

Joey did his best to lift the little girl into the window with his right hand. Heather grabbed the girl and yanked her out the window.

Joey closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he saw his father leap through the window and reach for him. With a grunt, his father lifted Joey by his right arm and jumped through the window.

Joey hit the ground hard and his parents dragged him to safety before gently laying him on the ground.

Joey stared up at the smoky sky for a moment and breathed in deeply. After two breaths, and blinking a few times, he looked over at Heather a short distance away. She was examining the little girl he had rescued.

Heather grabbed the young girl's face gently with one hand and lifted a finger on the other, slowly moving it side to side. Heather watched the girl's eyes for a moment. She placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and nodded in Joey's direction.

Joey attempted to sit up and realized that he couldn't feel his left arm. He flexed his hand and was relived to feel his fingers.

"Joey…" his mother said softly. Joey tilted his head and saw a look of terror on his mother's face.

"I can't… I can't feel my arm," Joey said as relief turned to panic. His mother looked down. Joey started speaking quickly, not wanting his fear to scare her. "But I'm alive. I'm alive."

"You're an idiot!" his mother snapped. Her fear was replaced by anger. "You should have waited for help!"

His mother rose before Joey could respond. She kept her back to him.

"Maria…" Joey's father said gently.

Joey's mother took a deep breath. She looked at her husband. "Talk to our son, Tommy."

Maria stood and walked to Heather and the little girl.

Heather nodded.

Joey's mother knelt and whispered in the little girl's ear.

The little girl slowly nodded as well.

Joey's mother placed a hand on the girl's back and led her away.

The little girl turned and flashed a small, shy smile at Joey.

Joey smiled back.

Joey's father and Heather slowly helped him to his feet.

His father was eying his burnt arm with concern. "We need to get you to the doctor," he said.

"He's on the other side of town," Heather reminded Joey's father.

"I don't feel…" Joey's words trailed off as Heather slowly pulled his sleeve up and examined his arm.

"Jesus," his father said quietly.

Joey looked down and saw that his arm was completely white. Heather put a finger on Joey's palm and slowly moved it toward his arm. Eventually, she touched the burnt, white skin.

Joey didn't feel a thing.

Heather looked Joey's father. "Go get the doctor," she said bravely. "I've deal— I've seen burns like this before. I can at least stop it from getting worse… for now."

"You sure?" Joey's father asked.

"Yes," Heather said calmly and firmly. "Do you have antibiotics?"

"A little," Joey's father answered.

"Dad…" Joey said quickly. "I don't feel anything right now. So, you don't—"

"You need it," Heather snapped. She looked at Joey's father. "Get the antibiotics back to me soon. I'll take him to my place and try my best until then."

"Okay…" Joey's father said uncertainly. He shook his head. "Okay. I'll see you in thirty minutes."

"Dad," Joey said as his father turned away.

His father turned back to him.

Joey chose his words carefully. "I'm not sorry I did what I did, but… I'm sorry I scared you and mom."

His father walked back to him and placed a hand on his good shoulder. "I'm proud of you Joey."

Joey looked down.

"C'mon," Heather urged quietly. "We need to deal with your arm."

Joey turned away with her as his father called out behind him. "But your mom's right. You're an idiot."

Joey smiled slightly as he and Heather started walking.

They reached Heather's house five minutes later.

Heather opened the door and pointed at a chair.

Joey sat as Heather quickly moved to her kitchen.

"Can you take your shirt off?" Heather asked from the other room.

"Yeah," Joey said as he shrugged off his sweater and shirt, still feeling nothing on his left arm. "It doesn't hurt. Isn't that a good thing?"

"No," Heather said, returning with several water bottles filled with milk. "It means that the nerves under your arm are either damaged or destroyed."

"Meaning?" Joey asked.

"Meaning if I can't stop the damage, and you don't get anti-biotics, you could lose your arm," Heather snapped.

Joey noticed the tone and looked down. "You think I shouldn't have gone in there."

"I think it was risky, stupid, and a good way to lose your arm," Heather said as she moved to her unused bedroom and came back with a bed sheet. She took a deep breath and looked at him with a hint of a smile. "And aside from you almost getting yourself killed, I also think that there's a little girl who wouldn't be alive if you hadn't."

Heather grabbed scissors and cut away a large chunk of cloth before setting it aside. She pushed Arata back as the cat came to investigate. The cat turned and hissed at Joey. Heather set down her scissors and swatted the cat away before moving to Joey.

Joey glanced at his arm before looking at the milk. "What's the milk for?"

Heather uncapped the bottles and poured all the milk onto the cut sheet. After a few seconds, she picked up the sheet and wrung it out. "I'm trying to stop your arm from getting worse. The milk is supposed to hydrate your skin."

"Hydrate?" Joey asked.

"Give your skin something to feel with," Heather clarified. "Hopefully, it'll repair any nerves you got left and help your arm heal."

Joey didn't move as Heather grabbed his burnt arm and wrapped the milk-soaked sheet around it. Again, Joey didn't feel anything.

"You know, you could always drink the milk," Joey commented as Heather tied the sheet around his arm.

"Milk always makes me sick," Heather answered. She glanced at Arata who was once again moving forward to investigate. "The cat seems to like it, though."

"Where did you learn this stuff?" Joey asked flexing his burnt arm and examining Heather's handiwork.

"I told you," Heather said as she placed the scissors in a drawer. "My mother was a doctor. I picked up on few things."

"Yeah. And I'm just picking up a few things from my parents," Joey retorted sarcastically.

Heather looked away. "Let's just say I helped her out more than a few times."

"Fair enough," Joey said, knowing to drop the subject.

They were silent as Heather poured what was left of the milk into a small bowl and set it down in front of Arata.

Heather grabbed a chair and placed it opposite of Joey. She sat down and looked him in the eye. "Why did you go in there, Joey? I know you wanted to help. But… something tells me there's more to it."

Joey sighed. "I don't think you'd understand."

"You'd be surprised what I can understand," Heather said darkly.

Joey hesitated and decided to answer with a half-truth. "Somebody had to go in and get the little girl. I was closest."

"And I believe you," Heather assured him. She lowered her voice. "But that's not the only reason. I think you were trying to prove yourself."

Joey sighed and shook his head.

"Am I wrong?" Heather asked.

Joey looked at his cloth-wrapped arm for a moment. He gulped. "The um, that doctor-patient confidence thing that you mentioned a while back… it counts for friend's too, right? I mean… you know, just between us."

"Absolutely," Heather answered.

"Okay… All my life, people…" Joey stopped and took a deep breath. "All my life, I've been known as Tommy and Maria's kid. Even when my parents just had me doing chores, people would look at me like I was different."

"There are worse ways people can look at you," Heather suggested quietly, her face and eyes unreadable. She shook her head and the look was gone.

Joey decided not to pry. He continued. "I've spent my entire life as Tommy and Maria's son. And I don't want that to change, but… I want to be Joey. I just want to live away from them. And I don't have a problem protecting my home or anyone here. It's just… I don't like feeling… special. People look at you differently when you're special."

There was a brief silence as Arata jumped into Heather's lap and began to purr while glaring at Joey.

"It's funny," Heather said, breaking silence. "Most people in the world I grew up in wanted to be special. Unfortunately, they would do stupid shit like go outside the Quarantine Zone or join the Fireflies."

"You would know more than me," Joey grumbled. "I've never even seen a Quarantine Zone."

"Consider yourself lucky," Heather said, the dark look returning. She looked down at Arata and scratched the cat under its chin. "Anyway, I was never special. My mom was the doctor. She knew that being a doctor would keep us alive. Nobody's going to kill a doctor. We're… priority resources."

"What about your dad?" Joey asked.

Heather started petting the cat. "Never really knew him. I guess he got hurt in some street fight and didn't recover," she answered.

Joey sat silently as tried to imagine growing up without his parents. He shook his head to clear out the predominantly negative scenarios.

Heather knelt and kissed the Arata on the head, earning a loud purr before looking at Joey. "In truth… I've spent my life trying to live up to my mom. Even if she hadn't… well, if I had stayed in the zone afterwards, the things that she taught me were going to keep me alive."

Joey chuckled. "That makes my issues seem small," he said lightly.

"We all have our issues," Heather said. She stood and started to unwarp the cloth from Joey's arm, speaking quietly. "Thanks for sharing yours. I've never had anyone who's trusted me like you do."

"Thanks for listening," Joey replied with a small smile as the front door opened.

"No prob," Heather said. "Your issues are safe with me."

"What issues?" Joey's father asked with a concerned tone as he walked through the door.

"Issue's dealing with further treatment," Heather answered smoothly. "Did you get the antibiotics?"

Joey's father handed Heather a pill bottle. She read the directions out loud and handed a couple pills to Joey with specific instructions.

Joey repeated the instructions and pocketed the pills. "Anything else?" he asked.

Heather thought for a moment before answering. "You'll want to wash out that burn a few times a day, just to be safe. If we're lucky, your nerves will grow back in your arm and you'll start feeling it again. You'll want to avoid putting dry clothing on it as much as possible or it's going to hurt like hell."

"But pain would be good, right?" Joey asked.

"As long as it's not caused by infection or other issues, yes," Heather said hopefully. "In every case but that, pain is good."

Joey's father relayed the information to his wife through a private channel on his walkie-talkie.

Joey and Heather exchanged small, appreciative smiles.

When Joey's father finished, he yawned. "I think it's been a long night for all of us. Are we done here?"

"We're good," Heather said. She turned to Joey. "I'll check on the burn tomorrow if you want."

"We'd appreciate that," Joey's father replied, placing a hand on his son's good shoulder before looking at Heather. "We'll see you tomorrow, Heather. You did great tonight."

Heather nodded. "Thanks Mr.—"

Joey's father held up a hand with a small chuckle. "Heather, you've been here seven months, you've had dinner at our house multiple times, and you just became our second town doctor. You may as well start calling my wife and I 'Maria and Tommy'."

"Thanks, Tommy," Heather said, correcting her previous attempt.

"Your welcome," Joey's father answered. He looked at his son. "Let's get you home."

"Goodnight," Joey said to Heather. "And… thanks again."

Heather nodded and picked up her cat as Joey left the house with his father.

Joey glanced down the street at the nearest wall. "What happens now?" he asked his father.

"Two man shifts rotating every four hours," his father answered. "The fire may not have been loud, but somebody could have seen the smoke. We can't be too careful. In the meantime, that little girl you saved is going to stay with Ester and her husband for a while."

"When's my next shift?" Joey asked.

His father laughed as his walkie-talkie chimed. After a short exchange, his father looked at him. "They want me to help out on one of the shifts on the west end of the Wall. Your mom just got home a few minutes ago. Can you make it back by yourself?"

Joey flexed his burnt arm and felt nothing. "I'm sure I'll manage."

Joey's father gave him a small look of pride and hurried off.

"Yo, Joey."

Joey turned and saw a young man a couple years older than Joey himself walk forward. He wore a black sweater and blue jeans that were a size too large.

Joey nodded in his direction. "Hey, um…"

"Jeff," the young man said. "Jeff, remember? That was uh… that was some pretty badass stuff you did tonight."

"Thanks," Joey said, smiling sheepishly.

While he had never really interacted with Jeff personally, Joey knew that the other boy had a difficult reputation with some of the adults. Joey had always secretly looked up to Jeff and his friends, but never had the courage to introduce himself.

Jeff moved forward. "You gettin' some time off now that you've played the big hero?"

"I doubt I'll be doing much," Joey said as nonchalantly as he could.

"Well if you want to hang out with me and my pals, feel free," Jeff said. "You know where we hang?"

"Yeah," Joey answered. "The old shack near the north side of the Wall."

"Good," Jeff said. He rubbed his slightly bloodshot eyes. "I'll see you around."

"See you," Joey answered.

Joey slowly made his way home and slipped into his bed.

 ** _…_**

Three weeks later, Joey awoke in agonizing pain as his left arm felt like it had been held over an open flame.


	8. Joey and Heather Part I: Bond's Binding

Three months following the events of "The First Three Days"

Ellie awoke with a yawn and looked down. Winston lay at the bottom of her feet, snoring loudly. The sleeping bag Matthew had been using was empty. Ellie rolled out of bed, placed two cut sleeves over her arms, and pulled on a green triple phoenix shirt and blue jeans before making her way to the kitchen.

"And again… she's awake just after ten," Matthew said from the table, wearing his usual blue jacket and jeans.

"It was like this every day," Joel said in reply, wearing a green flannel shirt and black pants. "Looks like old habits die hard."

"Oh, ha ha," Ellie said, grabbing milk from the fridge. "It's not my fault you guys can't sleep past first light."

"I used to wake up that early even before the outbreak," Joel countered, taking a sip of his coffee.

"Yeah and I don't think you realize how loud it can be in our room at night," Matthew said under his breath as Ellie sat down next to him.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ellie said to Matthew.

The young man shrugged.

Ellie saw the edge of Joel's lip twitch before it returned to his coffee.

"So, what are the plans today?" Joel asked as he swallowed.

"Nothing," Matthew answered. "Maria's forcing me to take a day off."

"Don't worry," Ellie said, nudging his arm. "I'll find some trouble to get us into."

"And what are _your_ plans?" Joel asked Ellie.

"Well, I have to stop off at Heather's to get something for Clarisse. I told Tim I'd watch her tonight," Ellie said. She looked at Matthew. "You want to come?"

"Sure," Matthew said. "As long as you don't bring up Heather trying to 'steal' me again. I think you've tortured her enough."

"No promises," Ellie replied. She looked at Joel. "What about you?"

"I was going to take a few hours on the Wall and Tommy asked if I could help some of the rookies working on the new houses."

"Sounds like… fun," Ellie said lamely. She was silent for a moment before finally understanding Matthew's comment about their room being loud at night. She turned and swatted him on the back of the head. "And I do _not_ snore!"

After finishing breakfast, Ellie and Matthew exited the house and walked into the summer sun. They started walking down to Heather's.

Ellie looked at Matthew. "So, what anything new happen on the Wall last night?"

"Aside from Johnny's little freakout," Matthew said, shouldering his backpack. "Not much."

"What happened?" Ellie asked.

"I don't know. Something triggered him," Matthew said with a shrug. "I guess, uh, he thought he saw something and he ran over the Wall."

"That sounds major," Ellie said, concerned. "Did he get back okay?"

"Yeah," Matthew answered. "Tim gave me cover while I went out and got him."

"Sometimes, surviving sucks," Ellie said, kicking aside a small rock.

Matthew placed an arm around her shoulder. "You still want to open up that foundation you talked about?

"Hell yeah," Ellie said quickly. She shook her head. "I want to help. But the issue is… I'm not sure how I'm going to get others to talk."

"I can understand the hesitation to talk about our demons," Matthew said.

They walked in silence.

 ** _…_**

Joey knocked on Heather's front door and walked in. He wore a black jacket and jeans. There was a walkie-talkie strapped to his belt along with a pencil and his notepad.

"Heather?" Joey called.

"I'm in here," Heather called from the kitchen.

Joey moved down the hallway, weighing the brown bag he held in his hand.

He walked in and spotted Heather placing a freshly cooked fish in a plastic container that sat on the counter before wiping her hands off on her white t-shirt and jeans. She looked at him and smiled. "Hey."

"Hey," Joey greeted in return. He eyed the fish. "Hungry?"

"It's not for me," Heather answered. She sat down at the table and placed her hands in the pockets of her jeans. "What's in the bag?"

"It's a new scalpel for you to threaten me with," Joey teased. "Do me a favor and keep your hands away from your pants pockets."

"My hands are nowhere near my scalpel," Heather assured him. She lifted her shirt an inch and showed Joey that she'd hidden the scalpel in the belt of her jeans. "Plus, only an idiot keeps a straight blade in their pants pockets."

Joey sat down at the table as well. "Well, according most of the people that I've talked to, going into a fire without help is an idiot thing too. So…"

"It _was_ an idiot thing to do," Heather confirmed. She looked at Joey and raised an eyebrow. "It got you a crush, though."

"Manipulate the crush of the little girl I pulled out of a fire," Joey said with a chuckle. "You don't think that's a little wrong? Not to mention there's a bit of an age difference."

Heather shrugged. "Just wait twenty years. Nobody will care."

"You're like my mom," Joey groaned. "You have no faith whatsoever."

"We just want you to be happy," Heather said dramatically.

"Well, I suppose if all else fails, I could just try flirting with the next girl who comes to Jackson," Joey said under his breath. "Although maybe I should make sure she doesn't have a _boyfriend_ first."

"I never should have told you about that," Heather said with an embarrassed smile.

Joey laughed. "Hey, it's the only thing I have to use against you."

"I told you," Heather moaned. "I was in a mood and he put out a good vibe and…just… never mind."

"It must be a girl thing," Joey grumbled.

Heather folded her arms. "Just a word of advice. If you _do_ find a girl that you have a crush on, maybe you should avoid phrases like 'girl thing'."

"I'll keep that in mind," Joey replied.

At that moment, Arata jumped between them, sending a hiss in Joey's direction and nudging Heather's hand.

Joey shot a glare at the cat before rising and placing the small bag he was holding on the table.

Arata sniffed the bag and stepped back, curling herself in Heather's lap.

"That's a small batch," Heather observed as she grabbed the bag and looked inside.

"If it comes in useful later, I'm not going to complain," Joey said. "Besides, I may be able to get more tonight. I guess they're close to being ready to cut again."

"Be careful," Heather warned for the hundredth time.

"It's fine," Joey promised for the hundredth time himself. "Trust me. It's fine."

"Knock, knock," called Ellie from the front of the house.

Heather crumpled up the bag and tossed it onto the counter. Joey stood as Ellie entered the room followed by Matthew. They exchanged greetings as Joey's walkie-talkie went off. He excused himself.

 ** _…_**

Heather watched as Joey exited the room and Ellie took his place in the chair across from her.

Matthew stood quietly off to the side.

Heather had long since found it to be a common pattern.

"Hi, cat," Ellie said to Arata.

Arata hissed in return and turned away from Ellie.

Ellie stuck her tongue out. "I love you too."

"The only one that cat has ever liked other than me is Clarisse," Heather said. "I'm glad you don't take it personally."

"Speaking of Clarisse," Ellie said. "I'm watching her later tonight."

"Yeah," Heather said, pointing to the fish on the counter. "Her present's over there."

"You know, you could always give it to her yourself," Ellie said, standing and grabbing the fish.

"I'm good," Heather insisted. "Besides, it would mean more coming from you."

"I'm still gonna tell her it's from you," Ellie said. She looked at the cooked fish. "You got the fish for saving Cameron's life after he returned from his scouting trip. I'd say you deserve some credit."

"What was I going to do?" Heather asked with a shrug. "Just say 'sorry, I can't help because I'm too busy sitting on my ass while Jackson's other doctor is busy dealing with something else?' I'm sure that would have gone over well with his wife."

"Next time, blackmail his family for more than one fish," Ellie suggested.

"I didn't _ask_ for _this_ fish," Heather reminded Ellie. She shook her head. "It's still weird having things given to me."

"Tell me about it," Ellie said. She looked at Matthew. "I forgot my backpack again."

"Again," Matthew grunted in amusement.

"You wanted to do something useful," Ellie reminded him. "Heavy lifting's all I got for you today."

Matthew chuckled and unshouldered his backpack, accidently bumping the paper bag Joey had brought Heather and causing it to fall to the ground. Matthew knelt and picked up the small bag, accidently opening it slightly.

Matthew stopped for a moment, then placed the bag back on the counter before placing the container with the fish in his backpack.

"Thanks, Matthew," Heather said, hoping Matthew didn't see what was in the bag.

"Yup," the young man answered. He looked at Ellie. "I'll see you outside. I wanted to ask Joey something about the night shift tomorrow."

Heather watched him leave and glanced at Ellie, spotting a small look of confusion on the other girl's face.

Ellie shrugged and turned back to Heather. "What's in the bag?" she asked. "Is Joey finally tying to butter you up so he can ask you out?"

Heather rolled her eyes.

"That a no?" Ellie asked.

"That's a no," Heather confirmed.

"So, what _is_ in the bag?" Ellie pressed.

"Nothing important," Heather answered. "It's just something that he found and figured I could use in the future."

"Bullshit," Ellie said with a snigger. She was silent for a moment, then turned serious. "Why are you lying about the bag?"

"I'm not lying," Heather said firmly. "I'm just not telling you because it doesn't matter."

"Okay," Ellie said, raising her hands. "Okay, I'll back off. But you'd tell me if it was something danger—"

"Ellie," Heather warned.

"Sorry," Ellie said.

Heather felt the apology was less than sincere.

Ellie looked down. "You know how protective I am."

"You? Protective?" Heather mocked. "Well, maybe… and a little pushy."

"Thanks," Ellie said, rising to her feet. "You sure you don't want to drop by tonight while I'm watching Clarisse?"

"I was going to stick around home," Heather said. "Tell Clarisse I said 'hi'."

 ** _…_**

Matthew waited patiently next to the door to Heather's house while Joey finished his conversation on the walkie-talkie.

Joey ended his conversation a few seconds later and started to walk away.

"Joey," Matthew called.

Joey turned and clipped the walkie-talkie to his belt. "What's up?" he asked politely.

Matthew stepped forward and lowered his voice. "I was going to ask you the same thing."

"What?" Joey asked, his politeness now replaced by a more defensive tone. He shook his head and started walking away. He turned when he saw Matthew following. "You spying on me, looking through my stuff?"

"No," Matthew answered, falling in step with Joey. "I didn't look in the bag. But whatever you have in it has a pretty strong smell."

"It's none of your business," Joey snapped.

"Hey, Joey," somebody called from behind Matthew.

Matthew turned and saw Jeff and his buddies walking down the street toward them, wearing ripped stained grey t-shirts and blue jeans.

All three of the young men had bloodshot eyes and twitching somewhat.

"What's up, Jeff," Joey asked, ignoring Matthew.

"If you're not busy later tonight, do you want to drop by the shack?" Jeff asked, his speech quick as well as sharp.

"Sure," Joey answered with a shrug. "I'm sure it won't be a problem. I need the freakin' break anyway."

Matthew made eye contact with Joey for a moment. This wasn't the first time he'd seen the younger man not acting like himself around Jeff.

Two of Jeff's buddies walked up behind Matthew. "Problems?" one of them asked.

"No," Matthew answered, not bothering to mask his voice with anything beyond basic politeness. "No problem at all. Just asking Joey about a shift on the Wall tomorrow night."

"Whatever," Joey said, sounding annoyed. "The shift's yours if you want it."

Matthew nodded as Joey turned away again.

Jeff and his two buddies walked by, each bumping Matthew hard on the shoulder as they passed.

Matthew took the contact without a word and watched as they disappeared around the corner of a house.

Matthew turned and found Joel walking toward him.

Matthew nodded his greeting.

"That looked interesting," Joel commented as he reached Matthew.

"Did you hear anything?" Matthew asked.

"No," Joel answered. "But it's pretty clear those kids are out to get you. You know you're allowed to fight back, right?"

"You and I both know what happens when I fight back," Matthew grunted as he folded his arms.

"You've always shown restraint when you could," Joel countered.

"I appreciate the concern," Matthew said. He sighed. "But I don't think I'm the one you should be concerned about right now."

Joel grunted and looked in Joey's direction. "You don't care for Joey's crowd either," he said. It wasn't question.

"He only acts like them when he's around them," Matthew said. He thought about the contents of the bag in Heather's house. "But I thought he was smarter than to mess around with…" Matthew didn't finish the sentence.

Joel folded his arms and looked at Matthew expectantly.

Matthew decided to ignore him. "I'll see you later, sir."

Joel took a step forward. "What do you know, kid?" he asked, holding no accusation in his voice.

"Not enough," Matthew answered evasively.

"I don't think I have to tell you about how protective my family can be," Joel said sharply, folding his arms again.

"You don't," Matthew assured him. "But at the moment, I don't know enough to—"

"What you _don't_ know doesn't matter," Joel interrupted. "If you know Joey's getting himself into somethin', you should tell his parents."

Matthew shook his head and turned away. "I can't."

"Why?"

"I want Joey to trust me," Matthew said, turning to look Joel in the eye.

Joel dropped his sharp tone. "I can understand that, but—"

"You _can't_ understand that," Matthew said firmly.

Joel stopped talking and waited for Matthew to continue.

Matthew took a deep breath. "It's different for me. You and Ellie… you've always had a place here. A family. And you, Tommy, and Maria have been great to me, but…"

"But we won't be here forever," Joel completed. He stroked his watch before returning his gaze to Matthew.

"Yeah," Matthew said. He looked around. "If I want to have a life here… I'll need more than just Ellie and Tim's trust."

Joel sighed. "Okay kid. I'll let you do it your way."

"Thank you," Matthew said, relieved. He held up a hand. "I promise, if something bad _is_ going on, I'll tell Tommy and Maria myself."

Joel lowered his voice. "But this is Tommy and Maria's kid we're talking about. If something goes wrong… I won't be able to protect you."

"I understand," Matthew promised. "Trust me. I would never want to put you at odds with your family."

"You never have," Joel said, taking a step back. "That's why I'm trusting you on this."

Ellie walked up a few seconds later. "There you are."

"Hey, kiddo," Joel said.

"Howdy," Ellie said. "What are you doing on this side of the world?"

"Tommy called in a favor and asked me to help out with training on the Wall," Joel answered. "Did you get that present for Clarisse?"

Matthew unzipped his backpack and tossed Ellie the container holding the fish. Ellie looked at it hungrily and tucked the container under her arm.

"That's actually going to make it to Clarisse, right?" Joel asked.

"Most of it," Ellie answered innocently. "But I still have to test it. You know, make sure it's safe."

"Right," Joel said. He looked at the Wall. "I'd better get going. Be good."

"Bye," Ellie said. She looked at Matthew. "I'm going to spend a few hours at the shop. The old man said I could borrow his fridge for the fish. You wanna come with?"

"Not this time," Matthew answered. "I've gotta work through something."

Ellie folded her arms. "Is it Joey?"

"How'd you know?" Matthew asked, only slightly surprised.

"You two act weird around each other," Ellie explained. She lowered her voice. "Heather thinks it's nothing. But I have a bad feeling."

"I'm trying to figure it out," Matthew said as they started walking.

"Want any help?" Ellie asked.

"No," Matthew answered. "This is something that I have to do on my own."

"But you'd say something if it was like, life-threatening, right?" Ellie said.

Matthew just turned to her and raised an eyebrow.

"Just making sure," Ellie said with a small smile, punching him on the shoulder.

There was a loud crash followed by laughter near the house Jeff and his buddies had disappeared behind.

Ellie glared in their direction. "If they give you a reason, don't be afraid to put them on the ground."

Matthew grunted.

"Something wrong?" Ellie asked.

"Joel said something similar."

Ellie folded her arms. "And what did you tell him?"

"I told him we both know what happens when I fight," Matthew replied.

"And what's that?" Ellie pressed.

"I win."

 ** _…_**

Later that night, after the sun set, Joey made his way to the shack.

Joey looked behind him to make sure nobody was watching before turning down an abandoned dirt road. At the end of it was a small shack in a clearing.

"It's clear," Jeff said from just inside the shack.

Joey relaxed and walked into the shack, refusing to breathe in through his nose.

Two of Jeff's buddies were pacing in the back of the shack.

In front of them were three desks with large plants on them.

Joey walked forward and examined the plants.

"You sure that nobody knows about this?" Jeff asked from behind Joey.

"This shack is in the middle of nowhere," Joey said, examining one of the plants. "If they haven't found it by now, they're not going to find it."

"Did you check out the spot where we're storing the cut stuff?" Jeff asked one of the two boys pacing behind them.

"Yeah," one of them answered quickly. "It's clear."

"Would you like to do the honors," Jeff asked, handing Joey a bag and some scissors.

Joey took the scissors and began methodically cutting at the leaves of the plant.

Jeff continued speaking. "I see you're still hanging with that doctor chick."

"She's a friend," Joey said simply, continuing to cut the plant. "A friend that doesn't need to be involved in this."

"Right," Jeff said with a chuckle. "It's funny. Every time you leave here, you end up there. Coincidence or _good_ friends?"

Joey finished his task and folded the bag. "A friend that doesn't need to be involved or talked about," he said firmly, hoping that it would end the conversation.

"Whatever," Jeff said after a moment. "You think you can get this to the spot?"

"Nobody's stopped me before," Joey answered, heading through the door.

"That's because you're mommy and daddy's perfect child," Jeff mocked.

Joey stopped at the doorway, hesitating for a moment before continuing out the door. "I'll see you guys tomorrow."

"How about you come back after you drop those off," Jeff ordered rather than requested. "Maybe we can get another batch out of here. I'm feeling lucky."

"Sure. Whatever," Joey said as he walked down the road.

 ** _…_**

Matthew saw Joey exit the shack, closing the door behind him.

The younger man took a deep breath and started walking.

Once Joey was out of sight, Matthew took a step out from behind the tree.

The door to the shack opened again.

Jeff came walking out and disappeared down the street, heading in Joey's direction.

Matthew waited a few seconds before following.

 ** _…_**

Joey made his way back to Heather's house and knocked on the door. This time, he waited until she answered.

Joey handed Heather the bag without a word.

Heather opened the bag slightly and looked inside. "Damn," she said softly. "You really did get a good batch today."

"Good enough to be useful?" Joey asked.

"Should the need arise," Heather replied.

Heather left the door and returned a minute later with the bag Joey had given her that morning. She poured a small amount of the new batch into the bag.

"Alright," Joey said, shoving his hand in his pockets. "They want me to do another run."

"Joey," Heather warned. "You know how I feel about you doing this so often. I don't trust Jeff. Or his friends for that matter."

"I'll be fine," Joey assured her. "I always am. Besides, this is probably one of the most useful things I do some nights. You trust me, right?"

Heather sighed. "As much as I do anyone."

"I'll see you tomorrow," Joey said.

 ** _…_**

Matthew stayed in the shadows as Joey closed the door and started walking back the way he came.

Matthew waited and watched as Jeff moved out of shadow of the next house over.

Jeff sneered and started moving after Joey.

Matthew cursed under his breath.

 ** _…_**

Ellie placed the clipboard she was holding on the counter. She looked around the clean and now completely inventoried shop.

Ellie nodded and raised her voice so that the shopkeeper could hear her from the back room. "I'm calling it a night, old man."

"See you around, kid," the shopkeeper called back.

Ellie grabbed the fish from the fridge and walked out, shutting the lights off behind her. She figured that because she was early for Clarisse, she would give Heather one more chance to join them.

Ellie arrived at Heather's a while later and saw the light was still on in the kitchen. She knocked.

Heather opened the door. "Oh, hey Ellie," she said, as if expecting someone else.

"Hi," Ellie said. She shrugged, choosing not to ask questions. "I'm heading out to pick up Clarisse in a bit. Last chance to come with."

"I'm good," Heather insisted. "I've got some cleaning to do anyway. You know how I get."

Ellie nodded and turned to leave, then she remembered the state of her own kitchen. Ellie turned around again as Heather moved to walk away. "I just remembered that I have to still do the dishes this week. You mind if I borrow a couple forks for tonight?"

"Sure," Heather said.

"Thanks," Ellie said. She followed Heather into the kitchen, retrieving two forks. "You're a lifesaver… metaphorically and literally."  
"Mm-hm," Heather said, grabbing a few used glasses from the kitchen table.

Ellie walked back through the hallway toward the front door. She tripped over Arata, causing her to steady herself with a hand on a table.

Arata hissed at Ellie and sat at the doorway to the hall.

Ellie glared at the cat for a moment and released her hand from the table, bumping the partially open bag on top of it. Ellie looked behind her and saw Heather still fiddling around in the kitchen.

Against her better judgment, Ellie picked up the bag and opened it slightly. She was greeted with a strong and very distinct smell. Ellie closed the bag, knowing exactly what its contents were.

Someone cleared their throat.

Ellie turned and saw Heather standing in the doorway, her arms folded.

Ellie faced her. "Are you fucking kidding me with this?" she exclaimed, shoving the bag into Heather's hand, angry at Heather for the first time. "You got these from Joey."

"And _you're_ snooping through my stuff," Heather said with a shake of her head. She sighed, moved to the front door, and opened it for Ellie. "You can leave anytime you want."

Ellie walked forward and slammed the door shut, glaring at Heather.

Heather rolled her eyes and walked back to the table next to the couch.

Ellie followed.

They were silent for a moment, exchanging glares.

"Is he using?" Ellie asked quietly.

"No," Heather answered. "Are you done interrogating me?"

"Is he going outside the Wall?" Ellie demanded, ignoring the question. She felt her anger rising more with each word.

"Is that what you think of me?" Heather asked. She looked and sounded both offended and shocked at the question. "You think that I would let him go outside the Wall?"

"At the moment, I'm not sure what you would do," Ellie said firmly. "Answer the Goddamn question, Heather."

"No," Heather growled. "He's not going outside the Wall. Now get out of my house."

Ellie shook her head in frustration and opened the door.

Just as she was about to leave, Heather spoke again. "You know, for somebody who keeps a lot of secrets about their life, you sure have a way of showing appreciation for the privacy of others."

Ellie slammed the door shut again and stomped back to Heather, raising her voice. "I don't give a shit about your privacy!" Ellie spat. "You've been hiding this for _weeks_ , maybe months! Joey can be an idiot, but _you_ are letting him go into danger and lying about it!"

"And it's none of your damn business, Ellie!" Heather retorted.

"Bullshit!" Ellie snapped. She pointed at the bag in Heather's hand. "If it has to do with Joey, it's my business! You may not have dealt with that shit in the zone, but I saw what it did to—"

"Don't you dare tell me what it was like in the zone's," Heather whispered, taking a small step forward.

Heather's right hand drifted toward her belt where Ellie knew she kept the scalpel.

Ellie was silent for a moment her gaze darting between the other girl's eyes and the hand.

Heather looked away and slowly brought the hand back up to the bag she was still holding.

Ellie lowered her voice, but the anger within was evident. "This is Joey we're talking about. He's the closest thing that I've ever had to a bro—"

"And for the longest time, I thought that Joey was the only friend I've ever had," Heather interrupted, speaking just as quietly. She looked Ellie in the eye. "Maybe I was right."

"You know what?" Ellie shouted, slapping the bag out of Heather's hand, scattering its contents across the floor. "You can take this friendship and shove it up—"

The front door opened and Maria walked in. She saw the two young women and the scattered plant on the floor.

Ellie turned back to Heather and glared at her.

Heather's face showed a mixture of anger, sadness, frustration, and disappointment.

Further words unneeded, Ellie turned and walked out the door, leaving Maria alone with Heather.

 ** _…_**

Joey made his way back to the shack as quickly as possible. He let out a breath of relief as the small building came into view.

"About time you showed up," a voice said behind him.

Joey turned and saw Jeff walking toward him.

The older boy raised his voice. "Hey boys, guess what? I was right."

"Right about what?" Joey asked.

"Giving _our_ _stuff_ to your girlfriend," Jeff spat.

Jeff's two goons walked out from behind the shack. One of them held a bat.

Joey felt his fear rising.

Jeff moved around Joey and stood in front of his buddies.

The goon with the bat circled behind Joey and stood a short distance away.

"I don't like being lied to," Jeff continued. He glanced at his buddies before returning his gaze to Joey. "That fire you were in is nothing compared to what we're going to do to you."

Joey looked into Jeff's extremely red and bloodshot eyes and realized that the other boy was dead serious.

Joey reached for his walkie-talkie.

Jeff grabbed the device and threw it on the ground, kicking it away.

Joey took a deep breath, preparing for the inevitable pain.

"Is there a problem?"

Everyone turned to see Matthew striding toward them, bypassing the goon with the bat and moving straight for Joey.

"Back off," Jeff snapped.

"I think you should follow your own advice," Matthew said calmly, placing himself between Joey and Jeff.

The goon with the bat stayed back a few feet but tapped the makeshift weapon against the ground threateningly.

"Matthew," Joey warned.

"I hear him," Matthew said, not breaking eye contact with Jeff.

"You've been here what, three months?" Jeff taunted, taking a step forward. "You may be good with that shit-crossbow, but other than that, you're all talk."

"I'd like to avoid showing you that you're wrong," Matthew said quietly.

Joey took a step back as the empty-handed goon walked around the group and moved close behind Matthew's left shoulder.

Joey saw Matthew's eyes flick to the goon before returning his gaze to Jeff.

"Last chance," Matthew said to Jeff. "We'll leave, and you can go about your night."

"Or what?" Jeff said with a chuckle.

Matthew remained silent.

Jeff simply smiled.

Joey stepped forward to stand next to Matthew, ready to fight and lose.

"Joey," Matthew said, glancing at him. "Take three steps to the left and stay there."

"I'm not going to run," Joey said defiantly.

"I'm asking you to move, not run."

Joey hesitated but did as he was told.

Matthew looked Jeff in the eye.

Jeff took another step forward.

"I don't want to do this," Matthew said, not even raising his fists. "But it's your choice. What's it going to be?"

Jeff rolled his eyes and nodded at the goon with the bat.

Joey took a step back in surprise as Matthew reacted quickly, shoving Jeff back a few steps before elbowing the goon behind his left shoulder in the stomach and driving the breath from the boy's body.

Matthew quickly turned and placed his leg behind the goon's knee and pushed on his chest causing the goon to fall to the ground.

As the goon with the bat ran toward Matthew, Jeff moved forward and threw a punch. Matthew turned and blocked the punch with one arm and drove a fist into Jeff's gut. Jeff bent forward.

Matthew sidestepped Jeff and shoved him in the direction of the goon with the bat. The goon tripped on Jeff as the breathless young man fell to a knee. Matthew ducked under the bat and grabbed the weapon before kicking the goon in the chest.

The goon let go of the bat and fell backward to the ground. Matthew held the bat lightly in his hand and kicked the goon in the chest again, causing the boy's head to hit the soft ground, disorienting him completely.

Matthew quickly turned and swung the bat around, using it to trip the goon that had just risen after being elbowed and thrown to the ground. As the third goon fell to the ground once again, Matthew took a step back and stomped once on a rising Jeff's back before tossing the bat away.

Joey let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as the short exchanged ended.

Matthew knelt and grabbed the walkie-talkie, handing it to Joey.

They both looked at the three young men writhing on the ground and groaning in pain.

Joey finally found his voice. "That uh… that wasn't the first time you've done that."

"No," Matthew answered. "Unfortunately, it wasn't."

"I didn't know you could fight like that," Joey said. "I guess I should have. You were out there a long time."

"I did a lot more than fight," Matthew said quietly and with a hint of regret.

"If you knew something was going to happen," Joey began hesitantly. "Why didn't you tell my parents or Uncle Joel?"

"That would mean telling them everything and getting Heather involved," Matthew replied. "I figured you'd like to avoid that. Let's get out of here."

They both turned to see Joey's father standing behind them. "Get home," the older man said quietly, his voice stern. " _Now._ "

 ** _…_**

Twenty minutes later, Joey found himself in the living room of his house. His mother and father stood in front of him and Matthew. Behind him stood his Uncle Joel, Ellie, and Heather.

"What the hell were you thinking?" Joey's father snapped.

"Nobody was smoking it," Joey said quickly. "Not me and Heather anyway. I—"

"That doesn't matter," Joey's mother interrupted. "Because those little shits _were_ using, and it almost got you hurt."

"So, what are you going to do?" Joey asked, hoping to get the situation over with. "What's the punishment?"

"Frankly, I'd like to know what the hell this is all about," Joey's father snapped.

"Cut the attitude and start talking," Joey's mother added.

"I'd suggest you tell us everything," Joey's father grunted. "Then we'll decide what to do with you."

 ** _…_**

Ellie listened as Joey started from the beginning. After a minute, she glanced to her left at Heather.

Heather looked at her.

Ellie opened her mouth as if to say something.

Heather glared at her and looked away.

Ellie closed her mouth and grunted before glaring at the floor. She noticed Joel glancing between them.

Ellie ignored him.

 ** _…_**

Joey watched as his father turned to Matthew.

"You knew what was going on and chose not to tell us," Joey's father said.

"I suspected something was going on," Matthew admitted. He looked Joey's father in the eye and spoke calmly. "I didn't want to make any false accusations. I just wanted to make sure that your son wasn't hurt."

"You shouldn't have had to fight at all," Joey's mother said. "If our son was in danger you should have told us. We thought you were mature enough to know that."

"I told him not to tell you," Joey lied.

"Joey," Matthew said quietly. "Enough. I did what I did, and I'll accept the consequences."

"Joey, stay out of this," his father warned.

"I'm the only reason Matthew's in trouble," Joey argued. "If he had come to me before… I would have told him not to tell you. He was just trying to help."

"It was still his responsibility to tell us," Joey's mother retorted.

"Maria," Ellie said, stepping forward. "Whatever Matthew chooses to keep to himself, he doesn't want anyone to get hurt."

"He didn't even want an explanation," Joey said quickly before either of his parents could reply. "I was the one who chose to hang out with those guys and… Matthew was just trying to help.

Joey's father sighed and looked at Uncle Joel.

Uncle Joel nodded.

Joey's father looked at his mother.

After a few seconds, Joey's mother nodded as well.

Joey's mother moved forward and looked Matthew in the eye. "I appreciate you looking out for our son," she said quietly. She gave him a stern look. "If you ever keep something like this from us again, this conversation will go very differently."

"I understand," Matthew said respectfully.

Joey's mother looked at his father.

Joey's father nodded and returned his gaze to Matthew. "Matthew, Ellie, you're excused."

The three of them exited the house without a word.

Heather looked down at the floor.

"Heather," Joey's mother said. "I'd like a word with you."

 ** _…_**

Heather followed Maria out of the house.

Maria closed the door and they started to walk.

"I'm sorry," Heather finally said. "I'm sorry that Joey almost got hurt."

"I know," Maria replied.

"I swear," Heather continued quickly. "I swear that if I had known he was going to be hurt, I would have told you."

"I know," Maria repeated calmly. "Joey's made it very clear that he insisted he was being safe."

"Am I in trouble?" Heather asked, still expecting an explosion of stern words and consequences.

"No," Maria answered after a moment. She sighed. "I just need to know that this won't happen again."

"It won't," Heather said truthfully. "I swear."

"Good," Maria said. "You should go home."

Heather nodded and turned away. After a few steps, she turned back. "Why?"

"Why what?" Maria replied.

"Why am I not in trouble?" Heather asked. "Why aren't you making tell you… why aren't you asking my why Joey was doing this."

"I assume I know," Maria answered. She walked up to Heather. "My son trusts you, Heather. I think he trusts you more than he does his parents."

"I'm sorry," Heather said, looking at the ground.

"There's nothing to be sorry for when it comes to my son trusting you," Maria said firmly. "It's something that Joey's father and I have always been concerned about. He doesn't make real friends easily. The fact that he trusts you is good for him."

"I don't make friends or trust easily either," Heather admitted. She looked at Maria again. "You still didn't answer my question. Why are you not pressing me for an explanation?"

"Trust can be taken away much easier than it can be given," Maria said calmly. "My son trusts you. It's not my place to take it away. He'll either lie or tell us the answer when we ask him. Either way, there's no point in hurting two friendships."

"Two?" Heather said.

"I know you and I know Ellie," Maria said, lowering her voice. "That argument you two were having when I walked in… whatever it was about is going to be hard to come back from."

Heather looked away, refusing to think about the encounter.

"Doesn't mean it isn't worth fighting for," Maria said. She turned and walked back to her house. "Goodnight, Heather."

Heather walked in the direction of her own house. "Goodnight, Maria."

 ** _…_**

Joey sat down on his bed as his father entered the room behind him.

"I honestly can't believe you did something like this!" Joey's father began, his voice raised. "Dealing with… even if you weren't using, is dangerous! People change around that shit! And to do it to impress—"

"That wasn't what it was about!" Joey interrupted loudly.

His father let out an annoyed sigh and turned away for a moment. He sat down on the bed and turned to Joey.

"I think you need to tell me what this _was_ all about," his father said, calmer now.

"I already told you," Joey said, confused.

"You told us what happened and how it happened," his father corrected. "You never explained _why_ it happened."

Joey was silent for a moment. He shook his head. "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me," his father said calmly.

Joey hesitated before letting out a sigh. "I wanted to be different than you and mom."

Joey's father let out a humorless laugh. "Joey, you grew up safe and sound in Jackson. Trust me, you're a lot different than us."

"That's not what I meant," Joey said.

His father waited patiently and without judgment in his eyes.

Joey looked at the floor. "It's… I don't know how to explain. Every day, people look at me like I'm supposed to turn into this great person."

"That's because you're growing up," Joey's father said.

"No," Joey argued. "No, it's because I'm growing up to be like you and mom. You're leaders. I'm… just following your lead. I'm following your lead and everyone's expecting me to…"

His father completed his thoughts. "You don't like everyone treating you like you're special."

"I guess," Joey said lamely. "I wanted to be useful and… nobody needed to know. I'm just doing my part like everyone else in Jackson."

"Well, when 'doing your part' puts you in danger…" Joey's father began. He took a deep breath. "Your mother and I may run this place more than some of the others, but our first priority will always be you."

"I know," Joey said. "It's always been that way. And—"

"And as for the man you're going to become," Joey's father said, placing a hand on his son's shoulder. Joey looked over as his father continued. "The point of Jackson is for us to be back in control of our own lives. You get to choose what happens here, Joey. If you don't want to lead this place after your mother and I are gone, that's fine. Someone else will come along."

Joey nodded and looked away again. "I don't like thinking that far ahead."

"Nobody your age does," his father replied. "But, fortunately, after twenty years, being able to think ahead is a benefit and luxury that we have again."

Joey closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "So what's my punishment?"

Joey's father chuckled and stood. "You know that I let your mother handle that stuff. She's more creative than I am. But for now, I would start with apologies."

 ** _…_**

Matthew grabbed a glass of water and sat down at the table.

Ellie had walked to their room and closed the door after entering the house.

Joel had made a few sandwiches and placed one in front of Matthew.

"I'm assuming tonight went pretty much how you expected," Joel said, taking a seat across from Matthew.

"Pretty much," Matthew answered, taking a drink. "I figured those guys were bad news. But I didn't exactly want it to end with me putting them on the ground."

"Would you rather it be the other way around?" Joel asked.

"No," Matthew replied. "But it's something that I was hoping to avoid for a few years."

"We all hope for that, kid," Joel grunted.

Matthew took another drink. "What's going to happen to Jeff and his buddies?"

"Well, luckily Jackson doesn't believe in banishment," Joel said. "I imagine those kids will be separated and placed where we can keep an eye on them, make sure they get themselves straightened out."

"And the stuff in the shack?" Matthew asked.

"Couldn't tell you," Joel answered. "But I'd imagine we'll find some way to store it. It has it's uses."

There was a knock on the door. Matthew stood. "I'll get it."

Matthew walked to the door and opened it.

Joey was standing on the other side.

There was a brief silence.

"You got a sec," Joey finally asked.

"Sure," Matthew said. He walked outside and closed the door behind him. "Did your mom and dad want to see me?"

"No," Joey answered. He chuckled. "I came here to apologize."

"That's got to be difficult, since you don't think you were wrong," Matthew said without judgment.

"Yeah…" Joey said in agreement. He shrugged. "How about I say that I'm sorry that you had to save my ass."

"Apology accepted," Matthew said. He turned and grabbed the door knob.

"You don't even want to know why I was doing what I was doing?" Joey asked.

"It's not my business," Matthew answered, turning back to Joey. "All I know is that somebody I'd like to consider a friend needed my help and I was able to give it."

"That's it?" Joey asked. He chuckled. "I mean, I appreciate it and everything. But I haven't exactly been 'good friend' material."

"I can't blame you," Matthew admitted with a shrug. "I was pretty much thrown into your life without warning."

"Well, let's try this again," Joey said. He held out his hand. "My name's Joey."

Matthew shook his hand. "Matthew."

"Welcome to Jackson," Joey said.

Matthew nodded.

"I wanted to ask you something," Joey said, sticking his hands in his pants pockets.

"Shoot."

"Can you teach me how to fight?" Joey asked.

Matthew looked away for a moment. "I don't think that would be a good idea."

"I don't think that my parents would be mad," Joey said. "And I know you can. You taught Tim."

Matthew held up a hand. "Why do you want to fight, Joey?"

"I'd like to be prepared," Joey answered. "I mean, that's what my mom and dad are trying to do. Get me prepared."

"They're teaching you how to live," Matthew clarified. "I'm not going to teach you how to kill."

Joey looked away. After a few seconds, he looked back at Matthew and spoke. "What about teaching me to defend myself?"

"That's the same thing," Matthew said, not liking where this conversation was going.

Joey sighed. "I've been going over what you did in my head," he said slowly. "The most Jeff and his buddies are going to have are some nasty bruises. They're not even close to dead."

"Why do you want this so bad?" Matthew finally asked.

Joey was silent for a few seconds. "Because I felt helpless," he said. "I was going to get beaten to a pulp, and there was nothing I could do about it. I want to be in control. What good am I to anyone if I can't handle myself like everyone else?"

Matthew turned away for a second and looked at the moon. He took a deep breath and turned back to Joey.

Joey took his hands out of his pockets.

"You have to swear to me," Matthew said firmly to Joey. "You have to swear to me that you will never use any of what I teach you unless there's no other option."

"I swear," Joey said.

"Okay," Matthew said. He nodded to himself before turning to Joey. "You have to understand that this is going to take time. When do you want to do this?"

"Whenever you're ready," Joey said. He glanced at the house as Matthew led him to the backyard. "I don't suppose this will help if Ellie tries to beat the shit out of me again."

"When it comes to Ellie, nothing can save you."

"Damn."

 ** _…_**

Ellie looked up from her guitar as someone knocked on her bedroom door. "Yeah?" she said.

The door opened and Joel walked in, handing her a sandwich.

Ellie took the sandwich with a nod. "Thanks."

"You alright?" Joel asked.

"I'm fine," Ellie answered, picking up her guitar.

Joel continued to stand in the doorway.

Ellie sighed and placed the guitar on the bed. "Alright, say it."

"What's going on with you and Heather?" Joel asked. He sat down on the bed. "I saw you two at Tommy's tonight. Obviously, something's up."

"She broke my trust," Ellie said, brushing her hair out of her eyes. "She knew about this and she didn't say anything. She put Joey in danger."

"Joey put himself in danger too," Joel reminded her.

"That doesn't change the fact that I asked her what was going on and she lied," Ellie snapped. She looked down. "You of all people should understand why I'm pissed."

"I do," Joel said, rising to his feet.

"And?" Ellie asked, standing as well. She knew he wasn't done.

Joel stroked his watch for a moment. "Last time you were here… you didn't have someone like Heather. I'd hate for you to lose—"

Joel's answer was cut short when someone knocked on the front door.

A few seconds later, Clarisse appeared in the doorway behind Joel wearing a red and yellow dress. She had a wide smile on her face.

"Hey, kiddo," Ellie said as Clarisse jumped onto the bed and gave her a hug. Ellie chided herself for having completely forgotten about watching Clarisse. "How's it going?"

Tim appeared in the doorway wearing a grey sweatshirt and black jeans.

Ellie finally let go of Clarisse.

"I appreciate you watching her tonight," Tim said to Ellie. He looked between Ellie and Joel as they exchanged glances. Tim lowered his voice. "Unless tonight's not good for you. I could make other—"

"No, it's fine," Ellie said quickly. She smiled and looked at Clarisse. "I've got something special planned."

"Alright," Tim said. He ruffled Clarisse's hair. "Be good for Ellie."

"I'm always an angel," Clarisse said with a wide smile.

"Riiight," Tim said. He nodded his thanks to Joel.

Joel exited the room, leaving Ellie and Clarisse alone.

After a few seconds, Ellie stood and grabbed her backpack. "You wanna go for a walk? I could use some air."

Ellie held Clarisse's hand as they exited the house with Winston and started walking.

Ellie smiled slightly as Clarisse yawned and rubbed her eyes.

"Tired?" Ellie asked.

"A little," Clarisse answered. A sad look crossed her face.

"Nightmares?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah," Clarisse said.

"You want to talk about them?"

"I can't. They're not mine." Clarisse said. "They're Timmy's. He won't tell me what they're about."

Ellie didn't answer right away. She placed a hand on Clarisse's shoulder. "Your brother just wants to protect you."

"I can handle it," Clarisse said defiantly.

"I'm sure you could," Ellie said. She decided to change the subject. "So, how's school going?"

"It's not very fun," Clarisse said with a shrug.

"You got any friends?" Ellie asked.

"Not yet. Timmy says that I have to give it time," Clarisse said. She looked at Ellie. "Did you have friends at your school?"

"I didn't exactly go to a school," Ellie said carefully.

Winston nudged Clarisse under the arm.

Ellie slowed her pace as Clarisse started to pet Winston.

Ellie sighed. "I um… I sorta lived at my school I guess."

"I wouldn't like that," Clarisse said.

"It wasn't completely bad," Ellie said, patting Clarisse on the head. "I had a friend to hang out with."

"Was it a friend like Heather?" Clarisse asked.

Ellie felt her anger from earlier rise and couldn't answer the question. She decided to change the subject again. "How's your writing coming along?"

"It's okay," Clarisse said. She started walking faster as Winston took off. "I know how to spell some names now."

"Is mine on that list?" Ellie asked.

"Yup," Clarisse said. "I can spell your name, Timmy's, Matthew's, Joey's, and Heather's."

"Cool," Ellie said. "The teacher must be doing his job right."

"He's not as good as you," Clarisse said. "He doesn't make things into drawings."

"Well, not everyone learns the same," Ellie explained. "The teacher has to try his best with everyone."

"Yeah, that's what Heather says," Clarisse replied.

Ellie felt a pang of unexpected jealousy. She swallowed as Clarisse stopped and turned to her. "Can we visit Heather tonight?"

Ellie stopped for a moment, making sure she chose her words carefully. "Maybe a little later. But first, I have a surprise for you."

Ellie walked them to the side of the street near a discarded pile of sticks and branches.

"What is it?" Clarisse asked excitedly as they sat down.

Ellie reached into her backpack and pulled out the fish. She placed it on the ground with a loud thud and pulled the two forks out of her backpack.

What is _that_?" Clarisse gasped, leaning forward.

" _That_ is fish," Ellie said. She handed Clarisse a fork. "I heard that you'd never had fish before and you wanted to try it."

"Have you ever had fish?" Clarisse asked.

"Not for a while," Ellie said, gathering some wood and branches from the pile to create a small fire pit. "But we'll have to heat it up first."

"Can I help?" Clarisse asked.

 ** _…_**

Heather took the long way home and saw Ellie and Clarisse sitting on a grassy lawn, heating up the fish she'd given Ellie over a small fire.

Ellie and Clarisse each used their fork to hold the fish over the fire, careful to keep the metal out of the flame.

Heather reflexively moved forward to join them when she was hit with anger, shame, and sadness.

Ellie laughed as Clarisse's end slipped and the fish fell in the fire. They quickly grabbed it with the forks and held it over the fire once again.

Again, Heather was tempted to join them, but couldn't bring herself to do it. She shook her head in frustration and kept walking.

 ** _…_**

"That should do it," Ellie said, putting out the fire. She carefully placed the fish back into the container to eat from. "You ready?"

Clarisse reached forward and grabbed a large chunk of the cooked fish with her fork. "Where did you find this?" she asked, weighing the fork in her hand.

"I…" Ellie stopped speaking for a moment. _Don't be a bitch, Ellie._ Ellie forced herself to smile. "Heather got it for helping Mr. Cameron when he came home last week. She said I should give it to you."

"Cool," Clarisse said, bringing the fork close to her mouth. "I like Heather."

"So, are you going to take a bite?" Ellie asked, avoiding the subject.

Clarisse took a small bite of the fish and swallowed.

Ellie leaned closer, waiting for Clarisse's opinion.

Clarisse didn't offer one.

"What do you think?" Ellie pressed.

Clarisse gulped and made a strange face.

"You don't like it?" Ellie asked.

Clarisse stood and staggered slightly.

"Clarisse?" Ellie said as she stood, growing concerned. "You okay, kiddo?"

Clarisse shook her head and started vomiting.

"Clarisse!" Ellie said loudly. She held the little girl by her shoulders and helped her to the ground. "Clarisse! What's wrong?"

"My…" Clarisse winced in pain. "My stomach hurts."

The young girl looked like she was going to start vomiting again.

Ellie held Clarisse in her arms and grabbed her face gently. "Clarisse! Kiddo, I need you to breathe!"

Clarisse grunted and started throwing up again.

Ellie frantically looked around. The street was completely empty.

Ellie picked up Clarisse as the little girl stopped puking. _What do I do? What do I do?_

"My stomach hurts," Clarisse said again.

Ellie looked around. _Heather…_

"I'm going to get you help," Ellie whispered to Clarisse as she ran to Heather's house with the little girl in her arms.

Ellie knocked on the door frantically.

Heather opened the door, rubbing her eyes. "Ellie, I really don't really feel like—" She froze when she saw Ellie's face.

"I— I don't know what to do!" Ellie said desperately.

Heather opened the door wide and waved Ellie inside. "Put her on the couch."

Ellie did as she was told and placed Clarisse gently on the couch as Winston ran in behind her and sat down next to Clarisse, frantically sniffing the girl.

Ellie continued talking to Clarisse. "It'll be okay, kiddo. But I need to you to breathe."

Clarisse reached for the small trash bin next to the table.

"What happened?" Heather asked as Clarisse started throwing up again.

"I don't know," Ellie said quickly, placing a hand on Clarisse's shoulder. "I don't know. She tried some fish and—"

"This started after she had the fish?" Heather interrupted.

"Yeah…" Ellie said, barely paying attention.

Clarisse stopped throwing up and leaned back against the couch, breathing heavily. She grabbed Ellie's hand.

Ellie held the little girl's hand firmly. "I'm here, baby girl. I'm here. Heather's going to help you."

Heather knelt next to Ellie and spoke to Clarisse. "Clarisse, honey, I know this sucks, but unfortunately, we're just going to have to wait it out."

"Wait, what?" Ellie asked. She looked at Heather with confusion and frustration. "There's nothing you can do?"

"She's having an allergic reaction," Heather said, obviously attempting to keep her voice even. "Right now, her body doesn't want the fish and it's trying to get it out. Until she starts feeling better, water is either going to get in the way or worse, start to choke her if she becomes nauseous and swallows it wrong."

Clarisse winced in pain again before coughing over the trash bin.

"I'm getting some water," Ellie said, standing up quickly.

"Ellie!" Heather said sternly, stopping the other girl in her tracks.

Clarisse held out a hand. "I'm… I'm okay."

"Are you sure?" Ellie asked.

Clarisse nodded, still breathing hard.

All of them were silent for a few more minutes.

Ellie and Heather avoided making eye-contact with each other.

Clarisse finally spoke again. "I'm good," she said weakly.

"You might start to feel bad again over the next couple hours," Heather said gently. "But we'll be right here, okay?"

Clarisse nodded and laid back.

Ellie forced herself to relax. "How about you get some rest," she suggested, slowly laying Clarisse down on the couch. She looked at Heather and spoke with a sharper tone than intended. "She can do that, right?"

"Yeah," Heather said. She stood and sat down on the other couch across from Clarisse. "But if you feel gross, make sure you sit up, okay?"

"Okay," Clarisse said, closing her eyes.

Ellie slowly stood and sat down on the couch next to Heather.

Arata slowly walked past Ellie and hissed before hopping onto the other couch and snuggling next to Clarisse.

Winston finally laid down on the floor in front of Clarisse

"Allergies," Heather said quietly.

"What?" Ellie asked.

"That's what it is," Heather said, motioning to Clarisse. "I guess some people have… allergies that make them feel sick when they eat certain foods. Evidently, Clarisse is allergic to fish."

"Allergies…" Ellie said distantly. "What are the fucking odds?"

Heather nodded. "It's a good thing it wasn't worse. Right now, I don't have the supplies to deal with a severe reaction."

Ellie didn't reply.

Heather looked at Ellie. "I don't suppose you tried any?"

"No," Ellie answered without emotion.

"Good," Heather replied, just as impassively.

They both sat in silence.

Ellie tried once again to figure out how to start a conversation with Heather, let alone confront their earlier argument. The more Ellie thought, the more frustrated at herself and the situation she became.

It seemed Heather had her own troubles. She stood with a sigh and moved to the kitchen.

Ellie followed Heather down the hallway and into the kitchen. "Heather, listen. I—"

Heather grabbed a glass of water and turned, speaking sharply. "I'm sorry about what almost happened to Joey tonight, Ellie. I really am. And I get that you're pissed at me."

"Joey's not the reason I'm pissed at you," Ellie corrected, not attempting to control the sharpness in her own voice. "I have issues with being lied to."

"And you also have issues keeping your nose out of other people's business," Heather replied, moving down the hallway and back into the living room.

"The shit that the people I trust are into _is_ my business," Ellie said louder than intended. "The fact is that you knew what was going on and lied to my face. More than once."

"I never lied," Heather retorted. "I just decided that I didn't need to break someone's trust—"

"You broke _my_ trust!" Ellie snapped.

"Why are we still talking about _your_ trust?" Heather retorted. "I believe you were about to tell my exactly where our friendship could go, Ellie! So, how about—"

Both girls froze as Clarisse stirred.

Heather let out a breath and turned back to Ellie, lowering her voice. "If you want to finish this argument, that's fine. But I don't want to do this around Clarisse. Right now—"

"I don't," Ellie interrupted. She sighed and ran a hand down her face. "I don't want to argue anymore. I just…"

"We can do this another time," Heather said firmly. She sat down across from Clarisse again.

A few seconds later, Ellie joined her.

They sat in silence.

Heather took a drink of her water.

"I'm sorry," Ellie said after ten seconds of silence. "I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"Bullshit," Heather said. She ran a hand through her hair before placing it on her knee. "I'm sorry that I lied to you."

"No you're not," Ellie grunted. After a brief silence, she put her head in her hands and groaned. "Now we're both fucking lying."

Ellie and Heather both let out a quiet chuckle before sitting back.

Ellie looked at Heather again. "I am sorry about where the argument was headed," she said to the young doctor truthfully.

"Me too," Heather replied genuinely.

Ellie thought carefully before speaking again. "When I was younger…" Ellie stopped and looked at Clarisse before continuing. "Well, when I was still in Boston… I had friend. She was really all I had."

"I only had my mom," Heather said, tapping the side of her glass. "She was my best friend."

"Everybody should have at least one," Ellie said with a small nod. She took a deep breath and forced herself to continue. "My friend and I… well, we helped each other through a lot of shit in this military orphanage. And we both hated it, but it was a life."

Heather sighed and looked at Ellie. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I want…" Ellie stopped speaking for a moment and corrected herself. "I _need_ you to understand why I am the way that I am."

Heather nodded. "Go on."

Ellie gave her a sad smile and looked away as she continued. "My friend and I… we argued and fought a lot too. And one day, we had a bad one," she said, allowing regret to enter her voice. "It was as bad as the one you and I had earlier. Afterwards… she left."

"I'm sorry," Heather said.

Ellie stared at the floor.

Heather slowly reached over and offered Ellie some of her water.

Ellie nodded her thanks and took a small drink before returning the glass.

Ellie felt a tear roll down her cheek. "After she left… I realized that I didn't have any other friends. Nobody I really trusted, I mean."

"What happened to her?" Heather asked.

"She came back," Ellie said. She wiped the tear off her cheek. "She's was the first one who ever came back. And for one fucking second, I thought that we would be fine. I guess the world had other plans."

Heather took a drink of her water and offered the glass to Ellie again with a comforting smile, obviously understanding the meaning of Ellie's words.

"Anyway," Ellie said, declining the drink with a shake of her head. "I met Joel a few weeks later and he taught me to survive. He didn't go away. Even when I ran, he came after me."

"He's your family," Heather said softly.

"Well, I never really had a family before Jackson," Ellie replied. She returned to her original point. "Joel and I went through a pretty rough patch because… he lied to me. I mean, I get why he did. I get it now, but not then. He didn't understand me. Nobody did."

"Matthew seems to understand you," Heather offered.

"Yeah," Ellie said with a small smile. "Yeah, he does. But this, him being here, almost didn't happen."

"How?" Heather asked. "I don't think I've ever seen you two fight."

"You haven't been in our house all the time," Ellie replied. She looked at Heather again and knew the other girl wanted an explanation. Ellie looked at the sleeves she had placed over arms. "After he, well, after we did what we had to do in Boston, I decided that I wanted to come back here. Matthew chose differently."

"Not much of a surprise," Heather teased, bumping Ellie with her shoulder. "You can be a handful."

"Not helping," Ellie replied with a grunt, gently returning the gesture. She shook her head. "Matthew didn't think he was ready and I was willing to let him go, but… he still went. On the way back here, I decided that I wasn't going to lose anyone else."

Heather didn't reply right away. She drank the last of her water. "Until tonight, I didn't know I had more than one person to lose."

"And now?" Ellie asked.

Heather didn't answer. She turned and gave Ellie a small smile.

Ellie smiled back.

They sat in calm silence for a few minutes as Clarisse laid still on the couch, asleep.

Heather walked to the kitchen and returned with more water.

Ellie felt herself relaxing for the first time in hours.

They shared another glass of water for a few minutes before Heather spoke. "So… what?" she said with a hint of amusement. "Now we're never going to fight again?"

"Pfft. As if," Ellie said. She shrugged "I mean, what would be the fun in that?"

Heather smiled.

"Anyway, that's totally unrealistic," Ellie continued, leaning back. "Even Joey and I have to go at it every once in a while. Always gotta keep things fresh here in Jackson."

"Joey was your only friend the first time you were here," Heather said quietly. "Wasn't he?"

"I guess," Ellie admitted. She shrugged. "I mean, I never hated him, but… I guess I never appreciated him either."

"The way he talked about you," Heather began, leaning back as well. "He missed you. I mean, he said you were his friend. But he talked about you like he was you're—"

Ellie snorted. "If you say girlfriend, this conversation is going to come to a very disturbing end," she said, sitting up on the couch and tucking her legs under her. "Plus, I'd hate to have to steal Clarisse's puke bucket over there."

"No," Heather said with a laugh. "No, it was nothing like that. I was going to say… family."

"What does that make you?" Ellie asked.

"Excuse me?" Heather said, raising an eyebrow.

"Joey opened up to you," Ellie said. She poked Heather's leg. "That's a pretty big deal. Especially for him. Me talking about myself to you is one thing. You knew my big secret before I even walked through that door three months ago. Joey is a whole other story."

Clarisse stirred again, this time grabbing the ends of her dress and attempting to cover up exposed skin on her legs. Heather stood and grabbed a folded blanket that was folded on the arm of the couch and threw it over Clarisse.

"Joey gave me his trust," Heather said calmly, turning to Ellie. "He trusted me. I've… I've never had that before. And I didn't tell anyone about what he was doing because I didn't want to lose what he had given me."

Ellie stood and walked over to Clarisse, adjusting the blanket so it rested snuggly against the girl's body.

Heather shook her head. "I don't… I don't know how else to explain it."

Ellie sat down on the couch again. "I'm glad that you and Joey both found someone you can trust," she said just as calmly. "Just remember that there are other people here too."

"Thanks," Heather said. She smiled slightly, a small amount of mischievousness entering her voice. "I'm still going to get and keep secrets. But if you ask _really_ nicely, I'll try to keep fists and a baseball bat out of the end results."

"I think I can work with that," Ellie said with a shrug. She glanced at the plastic bag that still sat on the floor. "What was he giving you that stuff for anyway?"

"Medically speaking, it can help with some things," Heather explained. "Why? Did you think he was giving it to me so _I_ could use?"

Ellie shook her head. "No, I actually thought that he was giving it to you to, you know, butter you up or something."

"Again, we're just friends," Heather groaned. "Dating has never interested him and frankly I don't—"

"So, you _do_ think about it," Ellie said evilly, rubbing her hands together.

"This conversation is going to end soon," Heather said. It wasn't a request.

Ellie rolled her eyes and looked at Clarisse. "We should get a hold of Tim," she said after a short silence. "Tell him what happened. Do you know where he's working tonight?"

"No," Heather answered, standing up and moving to a desk beside the couch. "But Joey does."

"No fucking way!" Ellie exclaimed as Heather pulled out a walkie-talkie. " _I_ don't even have one of those! I have to share with Joel and Matthew."

"This _was_ a gift from Joey," Heather informed her. She glanced at Arata. "So was the cat."

"Why the walkie-talkie?" Ellie asked.

"I didn't exactly talk to anyone the first few days that I was here," Heather explained. She shrugged. "Joey gave it to me in case I ever _wanted_ to talk. We use a different channel than the rest of Jackson."

"Do you and Joey use this often?" Ellie pressed.

Heather raised an eyebrow and didn't answer.

Ellie sighed dramatically and put her hands in the air. "Fungal Infection destroys the world? I can wrap my head around that. No problem. Dumbass teenagers with trivial problems in those old movies they watch here? Fine. Not exactly my kind of people, but hey, I guess in the context of that world, maybe their bullshit makes sense. But you and Joey… I don't think I'll ever understand you two."

"Then don't try," Heather replied as she turned on the walkie-talkie.

"Who else knows you two do this?" Ellie pressed.

"Nobody… well maybe Maria. She's always kind of liked the fact that I hang around with Joey," Heather answered. She raised the walkie-talkie and spoke. "Joey, you got a sec?"

There were a few moments of silence before Joey answered. "Yeah. I'm just doing something with Matthew. What's up?"

"Something's happened with Clarisse," Heather answered. "She's okay now. But I think she should take it easy the rest of the night and Tim should come take her home when he has a chance."

"I'll get a hold of him," Joey promised. "Is Clarisse at your place?"

"Yeah," Heather replied. "Ellie too. We just wanted Tim to know."

"We'll see you in bit," Joey said. There was a brief silence. "And I'm sorry about what happened tonight."

"Don't worry about it," Heather said. She turned to Ellie.

Ellie nodded.

Heather spoke into the walkie-talkie again. "It's over."

Heather placed the walkie-talkie back in the drawer and turned to see Ellie raising her eyebrows up and down with a smile on her face. Heather grunted and moved past Ellie to pick up the bag on the floor and place it in the kitchen.

Ellie turned away and reached down, stroking the cat once.

The cat hissed and snuggled closer to Clarisse. Heather entered the room again.

"How exactly did Joey give you the cat if it hates everyone?" Ellie asked.

Heather knelt and reached under the couch, extracting a glove covered with small bite marks. The cat's head and ears shot up. Heather threw the glove down the hall and the cat took off, grabbing the glove from the floor and running out of sight.

"Oh," Ellie said simply.

"It's her favorite toy," Heather said. She looked at Ellie. "Did we figure shit out tonight?"

"We did," Ellie confirmed. She sat down again. "And you're still coming over to the house tomorrow night, right? Matthew's got a shift on the Wall. Joel's cooking this 'new' old recipe and I don't think I can go through that alone again."

"I'll be there," Heather assured her.

They continued talking until there was a knock on the door. Heather opened it and Tim quickly walked in, followed by Joey and Matthew.

Tim immediately moved to the couch and knelt next to Clarisse, breathing a sigh of relief.

Joey exchanged smiles with Heather and walked up to Tim.

"She's fine," Joey said quietly. "Whatever happened, Heather knows what she's doing, alright? Clarisse may not be feeling too great right now, but I'm sure she'll be good by morning. If not, you can call us anytime. But just remember that Clarisse is fine."

Ellie saw Heather smile as she watched Joey.

Tim took a deep breath and placed a hand on Clarisse's shoulder. "What happened?" he asked, not turning to them.

Ellie moved to stand by Matthew as Heather explained the situation to Tim.

Matthew glanced at Ellie. "You seem less pissed than you were a few hours ago," he observed.

"I am," Ellie answered.

"Good," Matthew said.

"What were you and Joey doing?" Ellie asked.

"Joey asked me if I could teach him a few things," Matthew said. He shrugged. "I guess I made some sort of impression tonight."

"Things like fighting?" Ellie pressed. "Pfft. What? Does he think things like tonight are going to start happening every day, or does he just want to stop me from beating the shit out of him."

"Oh, I made it pretty clear that there was no chance against you," Matthew assured her.

"Smart man," Ellie said, punching his shoulder.

Tim finished his conversation with Heather and Joey before picking Clarisse up and moving toward the door. Tim stopped and looked at Ellie.

"I'm sorry about what happened," Ellie said.

"It's not your fault," Tim replied. "I'm just glad that you and Heather were able to keep an eye on her. If it'd been me and Clarisse, I don't know if I—"

"You would have figured something out," Matthew interrupted. "How 'bout you just take her home and both of you can get some rest. We'll just see what happens tomorrow."

"You know Matthew," Ellie added as Tim turned to her. "He's right about these things, Tim."

Tim slowly nodded and left the house, a dark look crossing his features as he turned away.

Clarisse stirred slightly, opened her eyes, smiled evilly, and waved at Ellie and Heather as they stood by the door.

Heather laughed and shook her head.

Ellie looked down. "That's… that's something I would do."

"It's like looking into the future," Heather teased.

Ellie glanced at Matthew and saw him shift uncomfortably.

"Not anytime soon," Ellie said with a shrug, shaking off the weird feelings and thoughts that entered her mind. She sighed. "I think we've had enough craziness for one day. How much do you think Clarisse heard?"

"Not enough to scar her permanently," Heather said.

Joey walked forward and looked at Ellie. He remained silent.

"You need something?" Ellie asked, purposefully adding a sharpness to her tone.

"I'm kind of waiting for you to punch me or something," Joey admitted.

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "You think you can stop it?"

"Good luck," Heather grumbled.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Joey grunted, glancing at Heather.

"Just saying," Heather replied.

"Well, don't worry," Ellie said, interrupting them. "I don't think that Heather wants to deal with another emergency tonight."

"What was it you taught me?" Joey asked Matthew. "Any fight you can avoid is a fight won?"

"That only really works if the other person doesn't hold a grudge," Matthew informed him.

"Are you holding a grudge?" Joey asked Ellie uneasily.

"No," Ellie answered. She grabbed Joey by his jacket and pulled him close, speaking cheerfully. "But if you ever do stupid shit like this again, my vengeance will be very, _very_ public."

"Yes, ma'am," Joey said, looking away. He looked at Heather. "You wanna go jogging tomorrow morning?"

"I thought you didn't like the jogging," Heather said, folding her arms.

"Well, I'm pretty sure my extra-curricular activities are going to be reduced to about

zero," Joey said with a shrug.

The walkie-talkie on Joey's belt chimed. "Joey!" Maria's voice snapped. "Where the hell are you?"

"I should probably take this," Joey said, blushing slightly.

Matthew looked at Ellie. "I'll meet you outside."

Ellie leaned close to Heather. "I think the jogging thing was Joey asking you out."

"No, Ellie, it wasn't," Heather said with a hint of amusement. "Joey and I used to go jogging almost every morning. At least, before the fire."

"Interesting," Ellie said simply.

Heather gave her a look of warning.

Ellie put her hands in the air in mock surrender.

Joey walked back inside. "Well, I'm not going to die yet."

"What did you tell them?" Heather asked.

"That there was an emergency and we didn't want it public," Joey answered.

"And that worked?" Ellie asked skeptically.

"Well, I also mentioned that the emergency was here," Joey said.

"Huh," Ellie said, adding wonder into her voice as she glanced at Heather.

Heather raised an eyebrow.

Ellie took the hint and shrugged. "Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

Heather smiled and nodded.

Ellie and Matthew departed.

 ** _…_**

"So, are you and Matthew friends now?" Heather asked Joey as he closed the door behind Ellie and Matthew.

"I guess," Joey said with a shrug. "I never really hated the guy."

"Yeah," Heather said, allowing the subject to drop. "Listen, I wanted to thank you."

"For what?" Joey asked.

"For giving me your trust," Heather answered. She ran a hand through her hair. "It… it meant a lot. It _means_ a lot."

"Thanks for keeping it," Joey replied. He looked out the window. "I'm sorry that I had you lying to my family."

"I never lied," Heather said with a shrug. "I just didn't answer questions that weren't asked."

"I tried that with my parents about a clogged sink when I was younger," Joey said lightly. "It didn't fly once they pulled out one of my socks."

Heather laughed and joined him in looking out the window. "You have good family," she said after a few seconds.

"I know," Joey said. He shook his head. "That doesn't mean they understand me."

"They don't have to," Heather replied.

Joey nodded and moved to open the door.

Heather walked forward and placed her hand on his to keep the door closed.

Joey looked at her.

Heather quickly removed her hand. "Do yourself a favor. Don't take your family for granted."

"I won't," Joey promised. "Never again."

"You can always trust family," Heather continued. "Don't forget that, either."

Joey thought for a moment before turning to Heather. "That trust thing goes for you too. You know that, right."

"I know," Heather said.

Joey nodded. "Good. See you tomorrow morning."

"Bright and early," Heather replied.

 ** _…_**

Ellie looked at Matthew when they were a few blocks from their house.

Ellie looked down uncertainly. "I… I told Heather about Riley."

Matthew stopped walking for a moment. Then he shrugged. "Did it help?" he asked.

"It helped," Ellie admitted. She started speaking a little faster. "I swear, I didn't tell Heather her name and I didn't mention that she was your sister. It just… helped."

"Ellie," Matthew said gently, grabbing her hand and stopping them both. "Riley was your best friend. She was there for you. You were there for her. Anytime you want to talk about her, to me or to anyone else, it's your choice."

Ellie squeezed his hand as they continued walking. She sighed, speaking cheerfully. "You know, aside from Joey nearly getting beaten, you nearly getting kicked out of Jackson, me and Heather going at it, and Clarisse nearly getting killed because of allergies, I thought tonight went pretty well."

"Yeah," Matthew said with a chuckle. "It can't be much worse than night when I saved this girl who was drowning in a river. I've been paying for that for— Ouch!"

"Your welcome," Ellie said, removing her fist from Matthew's side and placing her arm around his shoulder. "I thought the worst night of your life was when _you_ almost drowned."

"Well, technically that happened during the day," Matthew corrected. "And I thought _that_ night went pretty well too."

Ellie leaned up and kissed Matthew on the cheek.

"What was that for?" Matthew asked.

"Why the fuck not?"

"Okay…" Matthew said with a small smile.

Matthew and Ellie arrived home and found Joel reading at the kitchen table.

Matthew extracted himself from under Ellie's arm. "I'm gonna call it a night," he said, exchanging a nod with Joel.

"Okay. Goodnight," Ellie replied. She watched Matthew enter their room and close the door. Ellie smiled again and grabbed an apple from the center of the table before turning to Joel. "Sorry we're late. We kind of had an emergency."

"What happened?" Joel asked, closing his book.

"It turns out that Clarisse is allergic to fish."

"Is she alright?" Joel asked, concerned.

"Yeah," Ellie said quickly. "She's good. It's… been a long night."

"Well, I'm glad Clarisse is okay," Joel said.

Ellie nodded and took a bite of her apple, staring at the table.

"What's wrong?" Joel asked.

"Why would Joey do the shit he's been doing?" Ellie finally asked, taking a seat. "I mean, with Tommy and Maria as his parents… you'd think he'd be smart enough to… not be stupid."

Joel chuckled. "Yeah, well, prior to the outbreak, this was mostly normal teenager stuff. Defiance. Striving for independence."

Ellie shook her head. "It just seems immature, that's all."

Joel grunted. "Maturity is all relative."

"Mature is mature," Ellie argued.

Joel sighed. "Kiddo, you have to understand that you and Joey have had very different lives."

"I understood that from the moment I met him," Ellie retorted. "What's your point?"

"You had to be mature and grow up the second you were born," Joel explained. He looked toward the hallway leading to Ellie's room. "You. Matthew. Heather. Tim. you've all had to go through things that nobody should. You've gone through things that kids like Joey will never experience."

" _Nobody_ should have to," Ellie said darkly.

"The point is," Joel said. "I think that every child wants to break away from their parents and become their own person eventually. It's a part of life."

"Bizarre," Ellie grumbled.

"Jackson gives kids the opportunity to do that," Joel said. "Kids like Joey can take that for granted. And there ain't no shame in it."

Ellie stood and moved to leave. She hesitated at the door to the hallway. "Do you think it's worth it?" she asked, turning back to Joel. "Knowing you're eventually going to be left behind by your kids?"

"That's not the best way to look at it," Joel with a small chuckle. "Having your kids grow up isn't a bad thing. Joey still has to figure out who he is."

"You didn't answer the question," Ellie observed.

"Yes," Joel said after a moment of silence. "I think it'll be worth it."

Ellie nodded. She walked toward her room and stopped, her hand resting on the doorknob.

Joel went back to reading his book.

Once again, Ellie turned to Joel. "You wanna grab your guitar?" she asked. "Get some practice in?"

"Sure," Joel replied.

 ** _…_**

Tim arrived home with Clarisse slung over his shoulder. After closing the front door and locking it behind him, he carried Clarisse to her room and laid her gently on the bed.

Clarisse stirred and opened her eyes for a moment.

"Are you okay?" Tim asked her. "Tonight must have been a little scary."

"A little," Clarisse admitted. She pulled her blanket over her. "I can't have any more fish, can I?"

"Sorry," Tim said with a small smile. "It's just one of those things in this world we can't have. Something better will come along."

"You sound like dad," Clarisse said softly. She turned over. "Goodnight, Timmy."

"Goodnight, Clarisse."

Tim covered Clarisse up with the blanket and made sure it was snug. With a sigh, he walked out of Clarisse's room and into the kitchen, finally allowing the stress of the night to flow through him.

After a few seconds, Tim sighed in frustration and walked to the fridge. He reached out, grabbed the handle, and froze.

Tim stood there and closed his eyes. _Just one._ Keeping his eyes closed, he opened the door, reached into the fridge, and grabbed one of the many cans of beer.


	9. Tim and Clarisse Part I: Safe and-

Tim and Clarisse entered what was to be their new home in Jackson County.

Despite their exhaustion, the siblings both had a hard time getting to sleep in Ellie's old house.

After a small talk with his sister, Tim asked Tommy's permission to move into the house on the west end of Jackson the night they arrived rather than the next day.

Tommy escorted them to the house himself.

Upon entering, Tim and Clarisse saw that the living room and connecting kitchen was trashed with overthrown furniture and other debris. Connected to the left side of the kitchen was a room with a bed. Connected to the kitchen on the right was a hallway containing a bathroom and a spare room that also contained a bed.

Tim looked down at his sister, who yawned. He placed a hand on her shoulder and knelt. "Tired?"

"Yeah," Clarisse said as she blinked herself awake. "Can I sleep in a bed tonight?"

"Let's check."

Tim led Clarisse to the spare bedroom. Tim picked up the sheets and blankets, shaking them out. Aside from dust, dirt, and a few bugs, it looked and smelled usable.

Tim set the sheets and blankets on the bed. He didn't even have time to straighten them before Clarisse hopped on top and burrowed under the blankets.

Tim smiled. "Goodnight, Clarisse."

"Goodnight, Timmy," Clarisse said. She popped out from under the blankets and gave him a hug. "I'm glad that Ellie and her friend told us to come here."

"Me too," Tim said. He picked her up and lowered her on the bed, covering his sister up once again. "I'll be up for a while cleaning if you need anything. I'll just be in the other room."

Clarisse turned over and closed her eyes.

Tim finally placed the knives in his belt on the kitchen counter and spent the next hour cleaning around the rest of the house, trying his best to pick up anything that could be tripped on. Finally, he walked into his own bedroom and started looking through the closet.

After finding nothing, he cleaned up the bedside table. As he moved around the bed again, he almost tripped on a can, accidently kicking it under the bed. Tim knelt. Under the bed, he saw even more cans and some glass bottles.

Tim turned one of the cans and saw that it looked the same as the one that he had tripped over. He moved aside a few of the cans. Under the bed, he could see entire cases of bottles and cans.

Tim reached under the bed and started to pull out the cases. After he was finished, he counted. _Fifteen individual cans. Twenty bottles. Ten full cases of cans and fifteen full cases of bottles. Where did this stuff come from?_

Tim sighed and took a step back.

There was a loud crunch under his foot.

Tim knelt and picked up a piece of paper.

There was an old, faded note written on it.

The whole town's gone to hell.

The military ain't coming.

It probably won't take long for the infected to show up.

The police don't mean shit anymore.

Me and Jackie figured that nobody was going to drink this stuff. That'd be a damn shame. There wasn't anybody anywhere the near the liquor store anyway. Nobody's going to miss it.

P.S. If we don't get through it all MERRY FUCKING CHRISTMAS! We're probably dead anyway. Enjoy!

Tim shook his head and dropped the note. He placed what he could in his now empty closet and shoved the rest back under the bed.

Tim sat down on the bed, finally allowing himself to relax for the first time. It didn't take long for him to remember everything that had happened to him and Clarisse. Tim closed his eyes.

 _Crimson liquid covered his hands. Drops of blood fell from his blade and to the ground. His clothes were freshly stained red._

Tim opened his eyes. Attempting to clear his head of the recent memories, he paced around for a few minutes and stopped in front of his closet.

Tim sighed, opened the door, grabbed a can, and took a drink. After a few sips of the sharp-tasting drink, he put it down on the floor, somewhat savoring the new taste.

Suddenly, Clarisse started screaming from the other room.

Tim stood and ran into her room.

Clarisse was tossing and turning in her bed, whimpering.

"Clarisse!" Tim said loudly. He grabbed her shoulder and shook her slightly. "Clarisse, wake up!"

Clarisse stopped moving and slowly opened her eyes.

"It's alright," Tim said gently. He grabbed her hand and held it. "You're safe."

Clarisse grasped his hand tightly until she fell back asleep.

Tim took a deep breath and let go of her hand, brushing a strand of hair from her face. He walked back into his room as memories came flooding back in again.

Tim quickly grabbed the can and finished it. After a few minutes, Tim realized he was wide awake. He grabbed another can, walked into the kitchen, and started to clean out the cupboards and drawers as he continued to drink.

 ** _…_**

Months later, when Ellie and Joel returned to Jackson with Matthew, Tim found himself at a party in Tommy's house.

"Can I try that?" Tim asked, pointing at the beer on the table next to Matthew. "I've never had one before."

Throughout the night, Tim continued to drink and savor the warm feelings and comfort the drink provided.


	10. Tim and Clarisse Part I: Lingering Past

One year following the events of "Joey and Heather Part I"

Ellie set down her pencil and stared at the many piles of paper on her bed. She sighed and brushed out the wrinkles out her red shirt and blue jeans. _Dark shit, Ellie._

The front door to the house opened.

Ellie cursed under her breath and quickly restacked all the papers together. As somebody walked her room, Ellie pulled her blankets over her shoulders and shoved the papers under the blankets next to her. She grabbed a comic from her bedside table as Matthew walked in the room.

"Hey," Ellie said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Hey," Matthew replied, taking off his coat and slinging it over the nearby chair, leaving him in a blue t-shirt and jeans. "You're up late."

Ellie looked at the clock. "It's only like… oh. Yeah, maybe two o'clock in the morning is pushing it a bit."

"Aren't you going to the shop tomorrow morning to help out?" Matthew asked.

"I've managed with less sleep," Ellie said quickly. "Plus, the old man has been telling me to take some time off for months. Anyway, how was work?"

"There was a bit of a shift mix-up on the Wall," Matthew said with a shrug as he took out his ponytail. "I actually ended up working with Jeff."

"That must have been awkward," Ellie replied. _He usually takes a shower after this bit. I just have to wait a little longer._ "Has he forgiven you for putting his ass on the ground last year?"

"Actually, he was asking me if I could forgive him for _making_ me put his ass on the ground last year."

"Wow," Ellie said, raising her eyebrows. "Even I didn't see that one coming. What about those jerk friends of his?"

"T-B-D," Matthew replied. "Jeff actually said the hard part was going to be apologizing to Joey."

"Not to mention Maria," Ellie said, yawning.

"Why are you up so late?" Matthew asked taking a step closer to the bed.

"I just lost track of time while I was reading," Ellie lied, lifting up the comic.

"Lost track of time reading a thirty-two-page comic?" Matthew pressed, folding his arms. He chuckled. "I didn't believe you when you said, 'I lost track of time'. What are you hiding?"

Ellie sighed and placed the comic book on her bedside table. "You know how I've mentioned this thing I wanted to set up a few times?" she asked carefully.

Matthew nodded.

Ellie flipped back the covers of the bed, revealing the piles of papers. "Lately, I've been thinking about it a little more than I've let on.

"That's an… understatement," Matthew commented stepping around the right side of the bed. "You're not kidding."

"I just want to help," Ellie tried to explain. "I mean, I just don't want people here to be afraid of their pasts and feel alone because of it."

"It's a good goal," Matthew said, lifting two pages from Ellie's largest pile. "Why were you trying to hide it from me?"

"I wasn't trying to hide it from you, I guess," Ellie answered. She looked down. "I don't think Joel likes the idea of me in other people's heads."

Matthew set the paper back down. "It's a lot of work."

"I feel like the hardest part will be getting people's head of out of their asses and actually get them to talk," Ellie said. She looked at Matthew and shrugged. "I don't suppose you would lead the charge. It could still be good for you in all your silent brooding."

"It's not for me," Matthew said after a moment. He grabbed Ellie's hand. "Besides, I think you've helped me enough already."

Ellie smiled and kissed him.

Matthew kissed back and looked at the piles of paper on the bed. "So, what do you got?"

Ellie smiled again and started shifting papers to the side. She moved over on the bed so that Matthew could lay next to her.

Ellie started to reorganize the piles before leaning back and laying her head on Matthew's shoulder. "Stuff I'll need. Chairs, tables, more chairs. Possible places that I could actually do this in. Possible names for what I'm doing."

"Short 'name' list," Matthew commented.

"Nothing's really clicked," Ellie admitted. "It needs to sound right, you know?"

"Yeah," Matthew said. He pointed to the largest pile. "And that?"

"That's the pile that I don't like," Ellie said darkly. She shook her head. "It sucks remembering some of the shit I've been through."

"I would think it would suck trying to think of everything that everyone else has gone through," Matthew replied.

"The worst part is thinking about what I _can't_ think of," Ellie muttered. She yawned and sighed. "There's really no such thing as a worst possible outcome in this world."

"You sound like you could use a break," Matthew commented. "Or sleep."

"I could probably use a break," Ellie admitted. She smiled mischievously, sat up, and gave Matthew a kiss on the cheek. "There. I'm starting to feel better already."

Matthew laughed. "You know what I meant."

"I know," Ellie said, rolling over and pulling Matthew with her. "This works too."

Matthew returned the kiss. "You know, if Joel ever catches us doing this, he's going to kill us."

"We're just kissing," Ellie said with a roll of her eyes. "Besides, he wouldn't kill me because… well, I'm me. But you…"

"Me?" Matthew pressed.

"You should probably watch your back," Ellie said, kissing him again.

"That makes me feel _much_ better," Matthew said sarcastically before returning the kiss.

"I don't ever hear you complaining about this when we're hanging out behind the park," Ellie grumbled.

"More hiding places."

Ellie laughed and kissed him again.

There was a knock on the front door.

"Damn," Ellie started.

"So much for your break," Matthew teased.

"I could've gotten so much more work done if you hadn't shown up," Ellie finished.

"That's very funny," Matthew said as he rolled off the bed and to his feet.

The knocking continued, more insistent this time.

"Bad timing at two o'clock in the morning," Matthew commented, glancing at the clock.

"Yeah," Ellie said. She stood and placed a cut sleeve over her bite. "This can't be good."

"Maybe Joey and Heather are dating now," Matthew said as they stepped into the living room and moved to the front door.

"I'm still working on it," Ellie replied. She opened the door to see a small figure wearing a blue dress staring up at them. "Clarisse?"

The eight-year-old girl looked up at Ellie and Matthew. "Can I stay with you tonight?" she asked tiredly.

Ellie knelt. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Clarisse said, rubbing her eyes. "Timmy's being loud in his room."

Ellie glanced at Matthew.

Matthew shrugged.

"Is Timmy with anybody?" Ellie asked with a small smile.

"No," Clarisse said, not getting the joke. "He's just being louder than usual."

"Than usual?" Matthew asked.

"Yeah," Clarisse said with a yawn. "Sometimes he goes into his room and gets loud."

Ellie and Matthew exchanged uneasy glances as Winston trotted up to Clarisse, giving her a lick.

Ellie and Matthew turned away for a moment and lowered their voices as Clarisse started to pet the dog.

"This seems serious," Ellie said quietly.

"Yeah," Matthew agreed.

"Tim ever mention anything like this to you?" Ellie asked.

"No," Matthew said. "You want to go check it out?"

"I think we should," Ellie answered.

"Me too," Matthew said. "I'll get the coats."

"Oh, and hide the papers," Ellie said quickly. "Just in case. She reads now and… she doesn't need to read that kind of stuff."

"Good idea," Matthew said.

Ellie knelt and spoke to Clarisse. "We're going to go and see if Tim can be a little quieter, okay?"

"Are you sure I can't stay with you guys?" Clarisse asked with a yawn.

"We'll see what happens," Ellie said.

Matthew returned and handed Ellie her coat as they slipped on their shoes. A few seconds later, they walked out into the cool spring air, dressed in blue jeans and jackets, Ellie's green and Matthew's dark blue.

The streets of Jackson were completely silent. The only sound came from the trees, shaking as a soft breeze swept through them.

As they made their way to Tim's house, Clarisse continued to yawn and her steps faltered, sending her stumbling into Matthew's leg.

Matthew smiled slightly and scooped Clarisse up into his arms.

Clarisse hugged his shoulders and blinked to keep herself awake.

Ellie glanced at Matthew and smiled.

"What?" Matthew asked.

"Nothing," Ellie said, turning forward.

When they reached Tim and Clarisse's house, Matthew set Clarisse down and she opened the door. Immediately, Ellie and Matthew could hear loud, muffled music and shouting coming from the bedroom connected to the kitchen.

Matthew went directly do the door and stood next to it.

Ellie exchanged a look with him before turning to Clarisse.

"Is it always this loud, Clarisse?" Ellie asked delicately.

"No," Clarisse said, rubbing her eyes. She looked at an empty can on the kitchen table. "Only when Timmy has his 'special drink'."

Ellie smiled for Clarisse's sake and moved to the table, leaving the little girl with Winston. Ellie picked up the can on the table and turned it to look at the label. Her eyes narrowed.

"'Special drink'," Ellie said to Matthew, tossing it to him.

Matthew caught the can and looked at it as well. He let out a breath and shook his head.

"At least, Timmy calls it a 'special drink'," Clarisse said with another yawn. "I don't know why he doesn't just call it 'beer'. That's what's written on it."

"Does he ever listen to the loud music or have his special drink in front of you?" Matthew asked.

Clarisse shook her head.

Ellie looked at Clarisse again and forced herself to smile. "I think that Winston's been a good dog today. Do you want to take him to your room and give him some treats?"

Clarisse nodded and grabbed the dog, leading him to her room.

Ellie moved next to Matthew as Tim shouted again.

Matthew let out a full sigh.

Ellie folded her arms and kept her voice quiet. "Loud and isolated. Sound familiar?"

"Yeah," Matthew said. "Except you and Joel understood why I did this. But this is different. This is…"

"Clarisse," Ellie agreed. She took a deep breath of her own. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking Clarisse should stay in our room tonight," Matthew said. He leaned against the door. "I'll see what I can do here."

"Okay," Ellie said.

Tim shouted again.

Ellie turned away. "I don't like this."

"Me either," Matthew said. "I should have caught this. I should have paid more attention. Maybe… I shouldn't have given him permission to drink the beer that third day here."

Ellie put on a smile again as Clarisse walked back into the room. "You're going to stay with me tonight, Clarisse."

"Thanks," Clarisse said with yet another yawn. "Can I get my blanket?"

"Go ahead," Ellie said. She looked at Matthew as Clarisse disappeared.

Matthew stared at the ground, perfectly still.

Ellie placed a hand on his shoulder. "This isn't your fault."

"I know," Matthew said softly. "But it will be if I don't do anything and something happens to Tim or Clarisse."

"You're not planning on coming home tonight," Ellie guessed. "Are you?"

"No," Matthew confirmed. He glanced at the door before turning to Ellie. "If Joel asks about Clarisse, just tell him the—"

"I'll tell him we're handling it," Ellie grunted.

"But if he asks," Matthew said.

"Since when have I ever been able to lie to Joel?" Ellie said.

Matthew nodded.

Clarisse returned to them with a blanket bundled in her hand.

Ellie knelt. "Ready?"

Clarisse looked at the door to Tim's bedroom.

"Tim will pick you up tomorrow," Matthew assured her.

"Thanks," Clarisse mumbled.

"Sleep well," Matthew said.

Ellie exchanged a nod with Matthew and exited the house with Clarisse.

Ellie walked in silence with Clarisse for a time. The little girl yawned once again. Ellie smiled and picked her up. The little girl hung herself over Ellie's shoulder. Ellie held Clarisse in one hand and placed her other hand in Clarisse's blanket, extracting a handful of hard candy's.

"I know all the tricks," Ellie whispered in Clarisse's ear. Clarisse hugged Ellie's neck. Ellie hugged her back as she pocketed the candies. "Our secret."

Ellie reached the house and unlocked the door to see Joel in the kitchen getting a glass of water. He was wearing his green flannel pajamas. Ellie made eye contact with him for a moment and held out her index finger. She deposited Clarisse on her bed and covered her up.

"'Night," Ellie said softly.

Ellie closed the door behind her and returned to Joel in the kitchen.

"You're home early," Ellie said awkwardly.

"Is there a reason I'm going to be making breakfast for Clarisse tomorrow morning," Joel asked.

"There was a…" Ellie sighed. "Tim's going through something. Matthew and I are handling it."

Joel drank the glass of water and placed it next to the sink. He turned to Ellie. "Okay."

"That's it?" Ellie asked, surprised at the lack of questions.

"You and Matthew are handling it," Joel said simply. "I'm sure you've handled worse things together."

"That was easier than I thought it be," Ellie said, taking a breath of relief.

"Is there anything I need to know about right now?" Joel asked.

"Not yet," Ellie answered.

"Good," Joel said. He walked toward the stairs. "See you in the morning. And don't let the girl eat any of that candy until after breakfast."

Ellie looked down and smiled, depositing the candy on the table. "No fun."

Ellie returned to the bedroom to see Clarisse and Winston taking up the entire bed. Ellie grabbed the sleeping bag from her closet.

 ** _…_**

Matthew stood at Tim's bedroom door for a time, attempting figure out what Tim was shouting over the loud music and how the situation should be handled.

Just as Matthew was about to enter the bedroom, the front door of the house opened.

Matthew turned to see Joey walking through the door. The younger man was sweaty and his hair unkempt. He wore a light blue jacket and blue pants.

"You're up late," Matthew commented.

"I could say the same to you," Joey replied, closing the door behind him. "So, what's wrong."

Matthew raised an eyebrow.

Joey chuckled. "I see Ellie walking home at three in the morning with Clarisse and something's not wrong?"

"Good point," Matthew said, turning to the bedroom door.

The music finally ended. Tim continued to shout.

Joey moved forward, a look of concern on his face.

Matthew shrugged and folded his arms. "To tell you the truth, I don't know what's going on. I was hoping to try and figure that out."

"How can I help?" Joey asked immediately.

Matthew thought for a moment before answering. "Is there a place we can take Tim? I don't want to take the chance on Clarisse coming back to… whatever this is."

"Well, I think the old shed that Jeff used is off limits to me for life," Joey said, obviously attempting to make light of the situation.

Tim shouted again.

Joey scratched the back of his head. "There's the bar that they finally got cleaned up. It should be empty."

"That should work," Matthew said.

Tim finally stopped shouting and the bedroom was silent. Matthew sighed.

"Would you mind helping me get him there?"

"No problem," Joey answered.

Matthew shouldered open the locked door. Joey let out a low whistle.

"This explains why there wasn't any alcohol at the bar."

"Probably because it's all here," Matthew agreed quietly, kicking aside a pile of empty cans.

Joey knelt and looked under the bed. "If my mom or dad walked in on me with this much alcohol, I wouldn't live to see my next birthday…"

"Can't say I disagree with their caution," Matthew commented, staring at Tim.

The young man was now passed out on the bed, wearing a dark red shirt and a black pair of pants.

Matthew glanced at Joey, who looked puzzled. Matthew raised an eyebrow. "You okay?"

Joey shook his head. "He should know better than this."

"I agree," Matthew said, looking at the prone figure on the bed. "But you're seventeen and you were raised in Jackson. Tim wasn't. He was raised out there. And the fact that he's only a few years younger doesn't mean much. He had to be an adult the day Clarisse became his responsibility. Something tells me he's coping with demons the only way he knows how."

"I suppose," Joey said uneasily. He sighed. "One of these days, I'm going to have to accept the fact that I have no clue what happens out there."

"I'd count it as a blessing," Matthew grunted. "Can you grab an arm?"

Tim barely stirred as Matthew and Joey each took an arm and slung him around their shoulders before dragging him out of the house, closing the door behind them.

"I appreciate your help," Matthew said to Joey as they moved down the street.

"I figure I still owe you for last year," Joey replied.

"What were _you_ doing up so late?" Matthew asked adjusting Tim on his shoulder.

"I was getting off a late shift on the Wall when I bumped into Heather," Joey explained.

"Late night for everyone," Matthew observed.

"I guess she had a nightmare or something," Joey continued. He shrugged as best he could with the newly applied weight. "She says the jogging helps. I hope she's right. She also said that she was meeting Ellie at your guys' place tomorrow morning for another run."

"Moving is better than doing nothing," Matthew said.

They walked in silence until the bar came into sight.

Matthew looked at Joey, who was staring at the ground. Matthew adjusted Tim on his shoulder again before speaking. "I don't suppose Tim ever told you about what's going on."

"No," Joey answered. "But I don't like to pry into things that I don't understand. It's the same with Heather. I tend to roll with it."

"Just keep her trust," Matthew advised. "That's the best any of us can do."

Matthew held onto Tim as Joey opened the door to the empty bar. Matthew moved forward and deposited Tim in a chair. Matthew and Joey sat down in a couple chairs across from Tim's still unconscious form.

"Now what?" Joey asked, breathing somewhat heavily.

"Wait until he wakes up," Matthew answered. "Then I'm going to try and figure out what this is about."

"Tim trusts you more than anyone," Joey admitted with a nod.

"You should get home," Matthew said. "I got this."

Joey stood. "You think I should tell my parents?"

"If they ask, don't lie," Matthew said. "But I'd rather keep this quiet. For Tim and Clarisse's sake."

"You got it," Joey said. He handed Matthew a water bottle from his back pocket. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Thanks for the help," Matthew said again.

"Anytime."

Joey exited the bar, leaving Matthew and Tim alone.

Matthew leaned back in his chair and started to doze.

 ** _…_**

Ellie opened her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time and glanced at Clarisse, who was still fast asleep. Winston was lying on the bed with his head across the young girl's knees.

Ellie rose and looked at the clock. It was now ten in the morning. _So much for the shop…_

Ellie quietly got dressed in her red shirt and blue jeans from the night before and walked out of her room. She moved around Joel, who was cooking in his pajamas, and grabbed a glass of water. Ellie grabbed a plate of food and moved to the couch.

"The kid isn't back yet," Joel observed.

Ellie didn't answer.

Joel walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you sure there isn't something I need to know?"

"Joel," Ellie said firmly, not shrugging away from the contact. "Matthew and I are adults. We got this."

There was a knock on the door.

Joel nodded and released Ellie's shoulder.

Ellie smiled appreciatively and moved to answer the door. She opened the door to see Heather dressed in a white sweater and a pair of blue jeans.

"Hi," Ellie said, confused by her presence.

Heather gave her an equally confused look. "I looked for you at the shop…"

Ellie remembered. "Oh shit," she said, placing her palm against her head. "Shit. We were going to go jogging weren't we. Sorry. I um… I had a late night."

"It's no problem," Heather said with a laugh. "Really, it's not. I had a late night too. I could probably skip the jog."

"Sorry," Ellie said again. She looked behind her. "You should come in and eat."

"Are you sure?" Heather asked.

"Yeah," Ellie said. "We'll have extra anyway. Matthew's not here."

"I could use food," Heather said with a shrug. She walked into the house and looked at Joel. "Morning."

"Howdy," Joel said.

Joel handed Heather a plate of food and walked upstairs. Heather sat in a chair across from the couch. Ellie sat on the couch a few seconds later.

"Where's Matthew?" Heather asked, taking a bite. "I thought he had the late shift last night."

Ellie took a bite of her food before answering. "He's… dealing with something."

"Okay…" Heather said, placing her plate in her lap. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Ellie said after she finished chewing. "Why would something be wrong."

"You chewed and swallowed before you answered."

"You know I hate it when you analyze me," Ellie said casually. She took another bite and spoke through a mouthful of food. "I'd like to think I'm not that easy to read."

Heather took another bite and raised an eyebrow.

Ellie intentionally spoke through another mouthful of food. "Nothing's wrong," she insisted.

Heather smiled and let the subject drop.

After a few seconds of silent eating, Ellie placed her plate on the couch beside her. "What do you know about people who, hypothetically, drink alcohol way too much?"

Heather swallowed before answering. "Are you asking this because it's relevant right now, or is it about that thing you're planning on setting up?" she asked, lowering her voice.

Ellie glanced at the stairs uneasily.

Heather leaned forward. "Which I haven't told anyone about."

"Hypothetically," Ellie repeated firmly.

Heather nodded her understanding. She leaned back and took another bite before answering. "Let's just say that I have my own experiences with alcoholism," she said darkly.

"I thought you said that you've never drank," Ellie said.

Heather's hand drifted toward her sweater pocket where Ellie knew the other girl kept her scalpel. Heather looked away. "Doesn't mean I don't have my own experiences."

"Anyway," Ellie said, knowing that Heather wanted her to move on. "When that happens, is there anything that you can do to help those people. Like, are there any drugs to take or… anything?"

"Not really," Heather answered, placing her hand in her lap. "I mean, not that I know of. The drinkers kinda have to make the decision to stop on their own."

Ellie nodded. She opened her mouth to reply as Clarisse walked out of Ellie's bedroom, still carrying her blanket.

"Hey, kiddo," Ellie said with a smile. "You want some breakfast?"

Clarisse shook her head and hopped up on the couch next to Ellie.

"Still tired?" Ellie asked, putting a hand around the young girl's shoulder. "You were up pretty late."

Clarisse snuggled closer to Ellie. "Is Tim coming soon?"

"I don't know," Ellie answered.

"I hope he comes soon," Clarisse said. She closed her eyes and fell back asleep.

Ellie wrapped the blanket tighter around Clarisse and laid the girl down on her lap.

Heather looked between Ellie and Clarisse.

Ellie stroked Clarisse's hair for a moment.

"How close to home are these questions about alcohol?" Heather asked quietly.

 ** _…_**

Tim slowly opened his eyes. His head felt like it was pounding.

After a few seconds, Tim tried to stand and stumbled, hitting the floor hard. He cursed under his breath and sat up to see Matthew standing over him.

"Where… Where am I?" Tim groaned.

Before Matthew could answer, Tim felt his stomach turning. He half ran, half crawled for the side door of the bar with Matthew a few steps behind.

Tim threw up the second he hit the sun-lit grass outside. After his stomach was completely empty, he collapsed to the ground, breathing hard. "Shit… shit…"

Matthew stood in front of Tim again, his arms folded.

Tim slowly stood. "Did…" he gulped. "Where's Clarisse?"

"With Ellie," Matthew answered, his tone unreadable.

"Did she see…" Tim started as his breathing returned to normal. "Did she see me?"

"No," Matthew answered. "Not this time."

Tim took a deep breath and stood. "I'll um… I'll take a shower and go get her…"

"You gonna tell me what's going on?" Matthew asked.

"It doesn't matter," Tim said, not looking at him.

"This isn't the first time you've done this," Matthew said, blocking his path.

"It's nothing I can't handle," Tim tried to assure Matthew, hoping to avoid talking about the incident further. "Thanks for keeping an eye on Clarisse and not letting her see—"

"You drunk?" Matthew completed somewhat sharply. He sighed. "You're lucky. Clarisse came to Ellie and I because she was tired and you were being too loud. Just be glad she came to us for help. Otherwise, it would have been her going into your room rather than me and Joey."

"I didn't ask you to come in," Tim said irritably. His head continued to pound. "I didn't ask for you to help me either. Your help is the reason I started to…"

Tim stopped speaking and shook his head.

Matthew simply handed Tim a water bottle.

"Sorry," Tim said, taking the water bottle. "I didn't mean to blame you. You and Ellie are the only reason Clarisse and I made it here."

"I'm sorry if something happened to you out there," Matthew said. His next words held a hint of anger. "But do you really think that blaming others for your actions is the way to go here?"

Tim looked away as guilt flooded through him. "I don't think I've ever heard you mad before…"

"Not mad," Matthew corrected. "Just a bit disappointed. I would think you would know better than to—"

"I'm being safe," Tim insisted. "The door is always locked and Clarisse—"

"This isn't just about Clarisse," Matthew interrupted calmly. "This is about you. Last night, you drank enough that you passed out. That was ten hours ago."

"And I woke up just like I always do," Tim said. He took another drink of water.

"Why are you doing this?" Matthew asked firmly.

"Because I haven't found another way that makes me feel better," Tim answered, not looking Matthew in the eye. "And if thinking about it doesn't make me feel better, then talking about it won't either."

"What is _it_?" Matthew pressed.

" _It_ is not important," Tim said, turning and walking away. "What's important is that I'm handling it and Clarisse is safe."

"For how long?" Matthew called.

Tim stopped and turn around. "Do we have to do this now?"

Matthew stepped forward, still speaking calmly. "You don't want to confront your nightmares and your past, that's fine. I'm not one to judge," he said. "But if Clarisse is the most important person to you, then yes, I suggest we do this now."

"I don't see what's wrong," Tim admitted. "I probably shouldn't drink that much, but I'm being safe about it. Clarisse can't get to me."

"That doesn't mean you can't get to her," Matthew retorted. He shook his head and sighed. "What happens when you get drunk enough that you decide to open that door?"

"I won't," Tim promised.

"You don't want to take that risk," Matthew warned.

"There's no risk," Tim argued.

Matthew looked away for a moment took a deep breath. He turned back to Tim. "You realize that you were all that Clarisse had too, right?"

"Yeah," Tim said, confused.

"She still need you," Matthew said.

"I know."

"Do you want to lose that?" Matthew asked simply.

"Never," Tim said.

"Last night, when Clarisse came to us," Matthew said, reaching out and placing a hand on Tim's shoulder. "She was just tired. But when she sees you like this… if you lose control, and you scare her… you don't want that."

"You think I'll hurt her?" Tim asked.

"Not on purpose," Matthew said. He removed his hand from Tim's shoulder. "But if you lose control, you will scare her and that… that's not a look from her you ever want to see. It will haunt you for the rest of your life. And worse, something between you two will be broken and… you may not be able to repair it."

Tim looked at his hands, pondering what Matthew was saying. After few seconds, he realized that Matthew was right. Clarisse was his responsibility. He had to have her trust. She needed him, and he needed her.

Tim looked at Matthew and slowly nodded.

"So, what are you going to do?" Matthew asked.

 ** _…_**

Ellie and Heather sat on the bed in Ellie's room, helping Clarisse with her homework.

Ellie pointed at the top of the paper. "And remember that when you're writing your name, you always make the first letter a big one," she said gently.

"I know," Clarisse groaned, correcting her mistake. "I just forget sometimes."

"You'll get used to it," Heather said.

There was a loud knock on the front door.

"That must be Timmy!" Clarisse said excitedly.

Clarisse hopped down from the bed and ran out of the room.

Heather smiled and slowly started to gather up the papers on the bed.

Ellie sighed and stood.

"Be nice," Heather said, not looking up.

"I'll be nice," Ellie insisted.

"Be nice by my standards," Heather clarified. "Or by Matthew's. Not yours."

"No promises," Ellie grunted.

Ellie exited the bedroom and walked past Joel, who was just coming down the stairs. Tim was kneeling in the doorway and hugging Clarisse. He stood as Ellie moved forward.

Tim opened his mouth but seemed unable to find words.

"Coming to pick her up?" Ellie finally asked.

"Actually," Tim said, scratching his head. "I was hoping you could keep an eye on her for a couple more hours."

"I want to go home," Clarisse said softly, tugging on Tim's sleeve.

"I have to clean first," Tim said kindly. He scooped her into his arms. "Unless of course you want to help."

"Hmmm…" Clarisse said, pretending to think. "Maybe I'll stay with Ellie for a while."

"That's what I thought," Tim said, tickling Clarisse's neck and earning a giggle.

Ellie smiled slightly.

Tim hugged Clarisse close. "I'm also going to try and be a little less loud at night from now on, okay?"

"Okay," Clarisse said, hugging Tim back. She slid down his leg and looked at Ellie. "Can I stay?"

"Of course," Ellie said. She looked at Tim before returning her gaze to Clarisse. "Do you want to show Tim your homework before you leave?"

Clarisse nodded and walked back to Ellie's room.

"I'm sorry," Tim said to Ellie as Clarisse left their sight. "And… thanks for keeping an eye on her."

Ellie nodded. "You know we all just want what's best for you, right?"

"Yeah," Tim said, looking away again.

Ellie glanced behind her. "Clarisse loves you," she said firmly. "She loves you more than anyone in the world."

"I know," Tim said quietly.

"Good," Ellie said, looking at him again. "As somebody who loves her almost as much as you do… I just have to say that you need to get your shit together. Now."

"I will," Tim assured her. "I'm getting rid of all of it as soon as I get back to my place."

Clarisse returned with Heather a few steps behind.

"Clarisse says that you're gonna clean your house," Heather said to Tim. "Want some help?"

"I'd appreciate that," Tim said, ruffling Clarisse's hair. "Joey volunteered to help out too. So, it should go pretty quick. We just want to drop some stuff off with Tommy."

"Do you mind if I take a few things for myself?" Heather asked. "Medical purposes."

"Take anything you need," Tim said. He looked at Clarisse. "Let's see how you did on your homework."

As Tim and Clarisse moved to the kitchen table, Heather leaned close to Ellie. "Were you nice?" the doctor asked.

"Nice enough," Ellie replied.

"That's the best you're going to get," Matthew said to Heather as he walked through the front door.

"Wow," Ellie said, looking at Matthew's unkempt hair and the large bags under his eyes. "You… you look like shit."

"Thanks," Matthew said as Heather chuckled. Matthew looked Ellie over. "You look like you could use a few hours of sleep yourself."

"Well, I get first dibs on the shower," Ellie said.

"Why can't I just take my shower now and then you can take yours after Clarisse leaves?" Matthew asked.

"Hey!" Ellie said, acting offended and placing her hand on her chest. "I was nice. I deserve a guaranteed hot shower."

"You guys are strange," Heather said.

"I could have told you guys that a long time ago," Joey said, joining Matthew in the doorway, still wearing the clothes from the night before.

Ellie punched him hard in the chest.

Joey coughed and laughed. "Well, okay. Maybe Ellie's the strangest."

"Damn right I'm the strangest," Ellie said triumphantly. "Nobody's ever going to take that title from me."

Joey's walkie-talkie went off and he excused himself.

Tim returned a few minutes later as Clarisse sat down on the couch with her homework. "Ready?" Tim asked Heather and Joey.

"Yeah," Heather answered. "I'll go grab the cart from the shopkeeper and meet at your place."

"Will you need any help?" Joey asked.

Heather shook her head. "I got it."

"See you there," Tim said. He exchanged nods with Matthew and Ellie before raising his voice. "I should be back in a couple hours, Clarisse."

"Okay. I'll fix problem seven."

"I've got to make a quick stop at the east side of the Wall," Joey said. "They could use an extra hand boarding up one of the old RV's windows."

"I'll tag along," Tim said.

Joey nodded and he, Tim, and Heather departed, closing the door behind them.

Ellie turned to Matthew and raised a hand.

Matthew gave her a high five and moved toward their bedroom.

Ellie walked up to Joel who had set down a plate of food next to Clarisse on the couch before returning to the kitchen. Ellie followed him and grabbed an apple from a bowl on the counter.

"We handled it," Ellie said after a few seconds.

"I never had any doubt," Joel said, handing her a knife to cut the fruit.

"Really?" Ellie asked genuinely.

"I promised myself a long time ago that I would help you in any way that I can," Joel said. He took a piece of cut fruit that Ellie offered him. "I guess old habits die hard. Doesn't mean I don't think you can handle things on your own."

Ellie smiled, popped a piece of fruit into her mouth, and sat down on the couch next to Clarisse. "Need any help?" she asked.

"No," Clarisse replied as she continued to write.

Ellie heard the bathroom door upstairs close and the shower turn on.

Ellie looked down. "That son of a bitch."

"Timmy says if I ever swear like that, he'll find a soap bar and wash my mouth out with it," Clarisse said, not looking up.

Ellie heard Joel grunt in the kitchen.

Clarisse glanced up with a mischievous look in her eyes. "Don't worry. It can be our secret."

Ellie smiled and reached into her pocket, handing Clarisse a piece of candy she'd taken the night before. They sat in silence for a few minutes as Clarisse finished correcting her homework.

Clarisse set down the pencil and looked at Ellie again. "Do you think Timmy meant it when he said he would stop being so loud?" the young girl asked.

"I hope so," Ellie said. She put a hand around Clarisse's shoulder. "But remember that you are always welcome to come to Matthew and I if you ever need help."

Clarisse nodded and grabbed her plate of food.

 ** _…_**

Joey and Tim slowly walked down the street.

"Thanks for helping out," Tim said a block and a half block from his house. "For both last night and today."

"Not a problem," Joey said, placing his hands in his sweater pockets. "Although, I didn't really help out last night. I basically dumped you off with Matthew at the old bar and left."

"Well, either way," Tim said. They turned a corner as his house came into sight. "Did you tell your mom or dad?"

"No need," Joey answered. "They didn't ask and whatever's wrong is being fixed. Which is fine, because I'm not sure what I would tell them."

Tim stopped and looked at him, trying to gauge meaning of Joey's words.

"Sorry," Joey said. "I've always sucked at talking about serious stuff."

"After talking to Matthew…" Tim said. He hesitated and sighed. "After talking to Matthew, I think you have a right to be frustrated with me."

Joey spoke again as they continued to walk. "You know, I'd like to say that I left last night because Matthew knows you better and you trust him more," he said carefully. "But I think the real reason I left was that as much as I've learned about what it's like out there… I really don't have a clue."

"I can see why that would be hard to work with," Tim said.

"One of the many curses of living a safe life," Joey said with a shrug. "Anyway, there's no need to thank me. I think any one of us would to the same for one-another."

"In your own ways, you've all given Clarisse a chance to live a safe life," Tim said. He nodded at Heather as she turned the corner across the street with a large cart in tow. Tim walked toward his front door. " _That_ I can't thank anyone enough for."

As they spent the next hour cleaning out the house and finding every trace of alcohol, Tim felt one part free and three parts chained.

As the three of them continued to stack the cases of alcohol on the cart, keeping some set aside for Heather's use, Tim felt the cases getting heavier and heavier. Even after the cases left his hands, he felt as if all his energy was being drained from his body.

"That all of them?" Joey asked, breaking Tim out of his exhausted daze.

"I'll check," Tim said. He walked into his room.

 ** _…_**

Joey watched from the front door as Tim went to take a last look in the bedroom. He glanced at Heather who was staring at the now almost completely full cart of alcohol.

"Not as much as you were hopin' for?" Joey asked, looking at the couple bottles she had saved for herself.

Heather jumped at the sound of his voice before answering. "No, it's fine. I actually got more than I thought I would it's just…" Heather shook her head. "Booze is great for some medical stuff, but… I don't exactly like being around it."

"Bad hangover?" Joey asked. "My mom and dad have had a few of those."

"Not exactly," Heather said, her hand drifting toward her sweater pocket.

"All good," Tim said, returning to them.

"Well," Joey said, glancing at the sun. "I'd say we have about an hour before you said you'd pick up Clarisse. Want to get some food at my place."

"Food would be nice," Heather said.

"Sure," Tim said. "Just let me get some fresh clothes on first."

 ** _…_**

Tim returned to his bedroom and grabbed some new clothes from his closet, throwing the dirty clothes from the night before over a case of beer.

 ** _…_**

Ellie finished her shower and threw on a white bath robe before a guitar practice session with Joel.

After finishing, Joel went up into his room for the night.

Ellie waited until moon was high in the sky before returning to Matthew who was already dressed in black pajamas and lying on the bed.

Ellie walked up next him and socked him in the chest. "I. Called. Dibs."

"You were taking too long," Matthew said, setting aside his book and making room for her. "Plus, I've practically been up for over twenty-four hours."

"Whatever," Ellie grumbled. She hopped up into the bed and laid with her head on his shoulder before throwing the blankets over them. Ellie reached over and grabbed his book to see what page he had left off on before looking at him. "If you've been awake for twenty-four hours, why are you still awake? And weren't you on that page last night?"

Matthew didn't answer at first. He placed his hand in Ellie's hair and started gently twisting it. After a minute, he sighed. "Did we do everything we could?"

Ellie thought for a moment. "I think we did as much as we could," she said. "Especially considering we didn't know about this until last night."

"I suppose…" Matthew said, closing his eyes.

"You don't sound convinced," Ellie observed.

"I guess not," Matthew admitted. "You know that feeling you get when something seems over, but at the same time you're not so sure."

"You know I do," Ellie said, grabbing his hand. "But, I for one, think we did great."

Matthew didn't reply.

Ellie elbowed him lightly. "I suppose we could wait until Tim leaves the house tomorrow and ransack the place. Make sure there's nothing left."

"I'll pass," Matthew said, letting out a small chuckle. "I think the only reason I was able to get this far with him is because he trusts us."

"And because he loves Clarisse," Ellie added. "Plus, having it happen to a friend you care about has a way of motivating you."

Matthew smiled. "So, if this was Jeff—"

"Oh, his house would be so trashed, it'd take a month to clean it," Ellie confirmed. "Especially after I burned it to the ground."

"So…" Matthew said casually. "What are we doing tomorrow."

"Well, I think because we were so awesome," Ellie said, turning so she could see him. "We should both take our night off tomorrow to have some fun. You can cook for me, we can head to our spot behind the park, and we could have nice calm, safe, Jackson County dinner."

"I get to cook the dinner," Matthew said skeptically. "That seems like more of a reward for _your_ awesomeness rather than _our_ awesomeness."

"Well we could just say that the dinner and fun can happen just because _I'm_ awesome _,_ " Ellie said with a shrug. "But I like people to feel included."

"That, and you don't like to cook," Matthew added.

"I admit to nothing."

"It's a date," Matthew said.

"Don't use the word 'date'," Ellie said. "It's still fucking cheesy. Even if we have done it more than twice."

"Right," Matthew said. He closed his eyes again. "Are you going to move to your side of the bed?"

"No," Ellie replied, turning off the bedside lamp. "I'm comfy."

"Goodnight then," Matthew said.

Ellie smiled. After a few minutes, she felt Matthew's chest rhythmically rising and falling beneath her. Ellie closed her eyes and tried to sleep.

After an hour, Ellie finally gave up, turned on the lamp, reached under a pile of books, and grabbed the papers that Matthew had hidden from Clarisse. Ellie flipped to the empty page of possible names.


	11. The Foundation: Willpower and Resolve

One year following the events of "Tim and Clarisse Part I"

Ellie sat on the couch with Winston, wearing red and blue pajamas. On a table in front of her was over twenty pieces of paper.

The cold winter air outside barely infiltrated to the warm indoors. Aside from the creaking caused by the wind, there was no other sound in the house. Ellie was alone.

Ellie picked up the piece of paper that had been blank for over a year. _Names… Names…_

Ellie scratched Winston behind his ears again. "I could name it after you, but… I don't think I want that story told over and over again."

The dog licked Ellie's hand.

Ellie leaned back and continued talking to the dog. "I could name it after my mom, but… no."

Ellie set the paper down and leaned forward again. She heard the front door open and didn't look up, assuming she knew who it was.

"We're you merciful to Joel in chess tonight?" Ellie asked.

"The kid has no mercy to give when it comes to that game," Joel answered.

Ellie looked up in surprise. "I thought you were sticking around at Tommy's for a while."

"Well, Tim and Jeff called us to the south side of the Wall," Joel said, taking off his boots and coat. "We have another couple residents for Jackson. There's a girl. She's nine. Her name is Lin."

"Did she come with anyone?" Ellie asked with concern.

"Her dad," Joel said. "He seems like an honest guy. His wife… I guess she's out of the picture."

"Sucks that we rarely get a full family," Ellie said. She forced herself to speak cheerfully. "Well, at least Lin can be safe now. And she can hang with people her age. Old people get boring."

"I'd be nice when it comes to talking about the older people," Joel replied, sitting down in a chair across from her. "You'll be there soon enough."

"Nope," Ellie said simply. "I'm stopping at twenty-six."

"Good luck with that," Joel grunted. He looked at the papers on the table between them. "What's all this?"

"Nothing," Ellie lied.

Joel looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

Ellie sighed. _Had to come out eventually. Especially since I'm almost ready._ "That project that I've mentioned the last couple years…"

Joel leaned back. "That foundation you wanted to set up."

"Want," Ellie corrected. "Want to set up. I'm almost ready."

"Almost?" Joel said in surprise as he sat up again, staring at all the papers. He looked at Ellie again. "This is… serious. You know that, right?"

"Yeah," Ellie said, growing slightly frustrated. "I know it's serious. And it's a serious that doesn't require me to beat the shit out of someone or show off my bite."

"Are you sure you can handle this?" Joel pressed. He looked away. "We both know you can have a temper and—"

"You're going to talk to me about my temper?" Ellie almost snapped. "Joel… I want to do this. I feel like _someone_ needs to do this."

"But why does it have to be you?" Joel asked, turning back to her.

Ellie leaned forward. "Why are you so against this Joel? And don't tell me that it's about my temper. Because we both know I'm a lot different than I was when you first met me."

Joel nodded. He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his beard, speaking calmly. "Ellie you've been back for almost three years. You've been safe. You haven't had to worry about what's out there."

"That doesn't mean that the world out _there_ doesn't exist," Ellie countered. "And whether anyone wants to admit it or not, the fact is that world out _there_ is still hurting people _here_ in Jackson."

"I've noticed," Joel said. He lowered his voice. "I'm afraid that you're going to open up old wounds… and not just yours."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ellie asked.

"The people here are good," Joel said slowly.

"I know," Ellie said. "If I didn't think they were, I wouldn't have come here in the first place."

"I wasn't finished," Joel said.

Ellie remained silent.

Joel continued. "The people in Jackson are good. That's why Jackson works. But… there's a lot that everyone holds in under the surface. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I know that everyone has their demons," Ellie said, calmer now. "You, Matthew… me. We all have them. I'm not afraid of what I may see or hear. I've probably seen and heard the worst of it already."

"If that's what you think," Joel said, almost sternly. "Then you are definitely not ready for this."

Ellie opened her mouth to answer. She shook her head and grabbed the largest pile, tossing it on the table in front of Joel, speaking firmly. "I've seen and heard enough."

Joel slowly reached forward and picked up the papers that Ellie had made over the course of a year in a half. They contained everything that Ellie had seen, heard about, or thought of.

Joel shook his head sadly and dropped the papers. After a minute of silence, Joel shook his head again. "When exactly are you planning on starting this?"

Ellie gulped. "Next week."

"Next—" Joel said. He leaned forward. "How exactly are you going to get this together in a week? Where are you going to do this? What—"

"Give me a little credit," Ellie said quickly. She gathered up the papers. "I've been getting ready for this a long time. Look."

Joel sighed and grabbed the paper Ellie offered him. "The Foundation" was written across the top of the paper. Below was a handwritten note by Ellie, explaining what the purpose of "The Foundation" was and where to come to attend and at what time.

"I've got this all planned out," Ellie said, speaking before Joel could object. "Matthew and Tim are helping me clean the old bar up and get chairs and shit. Heather found this old machine in her house that can make copies of this paper and then we're going to put them up around town. Joey even said he'd help out."

"Joey," Joel said irritably, setting down the paper. "Tim, Heather, the kid… Is there anyone in Jackson who _didn't_ find out about this before me?"

"I was going to tell you…" Ellie said, unsure of how to answer. "I really was because I wanted—"

"Ellie," Joel said holding up a hand. He stopped speaking. After a few seconds, he stood and looked at the clock. He took a deep breath. "Look, it's late. How about we finish this in the morning."

"Avoiding it?" Ellie said, standing and folding her arms. "That's the fucking route we're taking here? I thought we were passed that."

"Obviously not," Joel said. "Since I'm just finding out about this now."

"I didn't mean for that to happen," Ellie insisted. "I just wanted it to be ready before I—"

"So that nobody could stop you before you started," Joel completed.

"Well," Ellie said. "If that was what I was trying to do, and it wasn't by the way, maybe I would have been right. Especially since you're not even listening to me."

"We'll finish this tomorrow," Joel said firmly. He turned and moved toward the stairs.

"Listening was always your problem here," Ellie said without thinking. She looked down, regretting what she said instantly.

The was a brief, tense silence.

"Maybe," Joel finally admitted. He continued up the stairs.

Ellie sat down on the couch in frustration. She shook her head and started to gather up the papers on the table as Matthew walked in the front door.

Matthew quickly closed the door behind him and let out a breath, taking off his boots and his coat.

Ellie continued gathering the papers.

"It is freezing out there," Matthew exclaimed. He made eye contact with Ellie for a moment before she looked away. Matthew took a step forward. "All of a sudden, it feels a lot colder in _here_. What's going on?"

"It's nothing," Ellie said, refusing to look up.

"Nothing…" Matthew said, hanging up his coat. "Right. So, is this the sort of 'nothing' that you'll tell me about later, or the sort of 'nothing' that I should take as 'nothing' and never speak of again?"

" _Nothing,_ " Ellie said.

Matthew raised his hands in surrender and walked passed Ellie, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Ellie put her hand his for a moment before releasing the contact. "I'll be there in a bit," she promised.

"We're still cleaning out the bar and everything, right?" Matthew said.

"Yup," Ellie grunted.

Ellie finished cleaning up and went into the bedroom.

Matthew was standing by the door with a sleeping bag in his hands.

Despite herself, Ellie laughed. "Relax," she said. "I'm not mad at _you_."

Matthew let out a dramatic breath of relief before using the bathroom to get dressed for bed. Ellie did the same in the bedroom. A few minutes later, they laid on the bed with their eyes shut. Ellie rolled over several times before sighing.

Matthew grunted. "The talk with Joel went that well, huh?"

"More like an argument," Ellie said quietly.

"How bad?"

Ellie thought for a moment. "Bad enough that we shouldn't leave it until tomorrow," she said, sitting up. She stood and glanced at Matthew. "Thanks for listening."

"No problem."

Ellie stood and left the room. She walked up the stairs and slowly pushed open the door. Joel was still awake reading a book. Ellie moved forward and sat down on the floor next to the bed, leaning up against his bedside table.

"I'm sorry I kept this thing from you for so long," Ellie said finally.

Joel took a deep breath and placed his book on the table. "You didn't keep it from me," he said. "Not really. I never asked. I took what you _did_ talk about for granted. I should know by now how determined you can get when you set your mind to something."

Ellie closed her eyes before speaking. "When we came back here," she said carefully, turning so that her head was against his bed. "I promised myself that… I promised myself that I would still find _something_ that can help… whoever's left."

Ellie felt Joel's hand in her hair, stroking it softly.

Ellie sighed and opened her eyes. "The truth is… I didn't keep you up to date on this because I was afraid that you would somehow convince me not to do it."

"You knew I'd try to stop you," Joel said. There was no anger in his voice.

"I knew you were the only one who could," Ellie replied.

Joel removed his hand from her hair. "I understand why you didn't want to tell me," he said after a short silence. "And to tell you the truth… well, when it comes to talking about everything we've been through, I haven't exactly been an open individual."

Ellie turned looked him in the eye. "Joel, I really want to do this."

"I know, Ellie," Joel said. He closed his eyes. "I'm not going to stop you."

"Thank you," Ellie said. She sat there for a moment. Ellie took a deep breath. "I wanted to ask you something else."

"What's that?" Joel asked.

"Would you come? To my first meeting?"

"I'll be there," Joel said immediately. He opened his eyes. "It's my job to keep you safe. Even in Jackson."

"I'm not going to convince you talk, am I?" Ellie said with a hint of regret.

Joel didn't answer.

Ellie stood, walked to the door, and stopped. "Goodnight, Joel."

"Goodnight, kiddo."

Ellie returned to the bedroom and joined Matthew in bed.

"Better?" Matthew said as Ellie pulled the blankets over herself.

"Much," Ellie said.

"You nervous about the first meeting?" Matthew asked.

"I'll tell you afterwards."

"I wish I had your courage," Matthew commented. "I'm sorry I won't be there."

Ellie turned and poked his side. "Liar. You _offered_ to take an all day shift the same day as the first meeting. The only reason you didn't take the night shift too is because Maria finally cut you off again."

"Like I said," Matthew grunted, intertwining his index finger with hers. "Courage is not my strong suit. Just… be careful."

"I'm not a little girl," Ellie groaned. "What is it with the you and Joel always trying to protect me?"

"Because you're worth it," Matthew answered.

Ellie smiled and closed her eyes, falling asleep with her hand intertwined with his.

 ** _…_**

Ellie spent the next week traversing Jackson, preparing for the first meeting. She felt nervous every day but refused to let it stop her.

A few days before the meeting, Ellie enlisted help to clean up the bar.

"Okay," Ellie said, looking around the bar almost eleven hours later. "It looks good."

The bar was now cleared of extra debris, it was relatively clean, and it was significantly less dusty than it had been that morning. The back office was also cleaned in hopes that Ellie would use it later.

"I hope so," Tim said in reply to Ellie's approval. He accepted a water bottle from Matthew. "I don't think I've ever coughed so much in my life."

"Oh, come on," Ellie said, throwing a scrap paper towel in a garbage bin. "It wasn't _that_ dusty."

"Really?" Matthew asked. He shook out his sweater and waved his hands to disperse the dust cloud. "I think it was pretty dusty."

Ellie looked around. "It's cleaned!" she said excitedly. She looked at Tim and Matthew. "But seriously. Thanks. I don't suppose you guys will come to the first meeting."

"Not my scene," Matthew replied.

"Mine either," Tim said lamely. "Besides, if I come, Clarisse will want to come and…"

"Yeah," Ellie said with a shrug. "I get it. She doesn't need to hear this stuff anyway. How's she doing? I've spent so much time getting this together that I haven't seen her much."

"She's good," Tim answered. "She's actually been hanging out with that new girl we picked up last Monday."

"Lin? I still haven't met her," Ellie said regretfully.

"It's good Clarisse has found a friend," Matthew said.

"Hey!" Ellie exclaimed.

"A friend her age," Matthew clarified.

"Better," Ellie said, folding her arms.

"He does have a point about the age thing," Tim said. He sat down on one of the stools. "I never really noticed it, but Clarisse didn't talk about any of the other kids at school. She never said anything about not having friends."

"She's always seemed happy," Ellie assured him.

"I still feel like I should have noticed," Tim said.

"You're her brother," Matthew said. "Not her father. It's not your job to know everything about her. You're doing fine."

"Anyway," Tim said, standing up. "I'm gonna have to get going. I guess a pipe exploded at the Coven's place and there's water everywhere. I'll see you around."

"Thanks for the help," Ellie called as Tim exited the building. She looked at Matthew. "I can only hope that I'll be as good at talking to other people as you are talking to Tim."

"You already are," Matthew said.

"I guess we'll find out," Ellie said. She looked out the window at the sun. "The sun's gonna set soon and I still got to stop off at Heather's to grab the posters. I'll see you at home."

"Alright," Matthew answered. "Tell Heather and Joey I said 'hi'."

Ellie quickly moved through the streets of Jackson until she reached Heather's house.

After a nervous sigh, Ellie knocked on the door several times before entering. "Hello?"

"We're in here," Joey called from Heather's kitchen.

Ellie smiled and took off her boots before walking down the hall. "I'm not going to walk in on anything, am I?"

"Give it a rest," Heather said as Ellie entered the kitchen.

"Don't worry," Joey said to Heather, giving Ellie a nod of greeting. "In a few days, she'll have someone else's life to pry into."

"Just looking out for my friends," Ellie said, ignoring the comment. She lowered her voice. "One day, though…"

"Friend?" Heather said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm touched. It's a lot better than 'bitch'."

"Oh please," Ellie said, tossing her coat on a chair. "You hit me in the face with a snowball. Besides, I got you back. And I'm over it."

"My aim was a little off," Heather grumbled. "I was aiming for your chest. Besides, that can't be as bad breaking Maria's window."

"You heard about that…" Ellie said lamely. She shrugged. "I was young and my aim was off too."

"Not that _you_ had to deal with my mom," Joey said as he shoved relatively clean paper they had found into a tray attached to the copier in front of him. He turned to Ellie. "I'm pretty sure that the only one who believed me when I said I wasn't the one who threw the snowball was Uncle Joel. I used to be a pretty truthful person before you came along, Ellie."

"You lied to Maria?" Heather asked Ellie.

Ellie whistled innocently as she reached into her backpack and pulled out the poster she wanted to copy and placed it in the copier.

"You think this will work?" Heather asked Joey as he closed the paper tray on the copier.

"I think I set it up right," Joey said.

"Here goes nothing," Ellie said as she pushed a green button on the copier.

A few minutes later, after an awkward moment when Ellie realized she'd placed the poster in upside down, she was shoving fifty posters inside her backpack.

"Thanks again," Ellie said. She yawned. "Well, I'm pooped so I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"'Night," Heather said.

"I'll walk with you," Joey said, unplugging the copier. "If I get home late for dinner five days in a row and I _don't_ have company, my mom's going to kill me."

Ellie opened her mouth to make a quick-witted comment but fell silent in confusion when Joey gave her a peculiar look.

Arata came into the room and hissed at Joey and Ellie before nudging up against Heather's feet.

"Yeah, whatever," Joey said to the cat, grabbing his coat from a chair. "I'm leaving."

"She'll warm up to you eventually," Heather said.

"I scruffed the thing and threw it in a box," Joey grunted. "I doubt it."

Heather chuckled and glanced at Ellie. "You, probably not. She hates you."

"I don't care much for the little bitch either," Ellie said, earning another hiss from the cat is it left the room.

"Well, technically, a 'bitch' is a female dog," Joey said.

"Where the hell do you learn this stuff?" Heather asked.

"Let's just say that my mother wouldn't allow me to swear unless I knew what the words actually meant," Joey said, looking away as his face went red.

"Maybe you should just leave the awesome comments to me," Ellie said, yawning again. She punched Joey on the shoulder. "Are you coming or not, cuz pretty soon, I'm going to pass out."

"I'm coming," Joey said.

They turned and started walking down the hallway.

"See you tomorrow morning at seven," Ellie called to Heather.

"Yup," Heather replied.

"'Night, Heather," Joey said.

"'Night, Joey."

Ellie and Joey exited the house and started walking home.

Ellie opened her mouth to say something.

"Don't," Joey said before she should say a word. He shook his head. "Just don't."

"Don't what?" Ellie asked.

Joey shook his head.

Ellie sighed dramatically. "Okay… what is it?"

Joey waited until a group of people passed them before replying. "I'm going to ask you to do something that's really hard for you."

"Fight my addiction to caffeinated beverages in small cans?" Ellie offered.

"How about you stop making comments about things that aren't happening and aren't going to happen," Joey grumbled.

"What?" Ellie asked. She looked behind them. "Oh. You and Heather? Why? I just think—"

"I don't think you're exactly the best matchmaker as it is," Joey interrupted, clearly frustrated now. "I mean, with how many people asked _you_ out the first three years you were here, I didn't exactly notice you leaping into someone's arms at the first…"

Joey's voice trailed off as Ellie looked away from him.

Joey sighed. "Sorry. That was over line. I just… well, now that I've pissed you off, there's no point."

Ellie and Joey remained silent until they neared home.

Ellie sighed as well. "I didn't know stuff like that bothered you."

"They didn't used too," Joey said, calmer now. "Maybe it was a lack of opportunity."

"You don't have to tell me about lack of opportunity," Ellie said with a small smile, shoving him lightly. She placed her hands in her pockets. "But why can't you and Heather at least try—"

Joey stopped walking. "Look, she and I come from way different worlds. That, and she's like two years older than me, and—"

Ellie burst out laughing. "Okay. First of all, you're eighteen and she's twenty. Not a big fucking deal. Second…" she caught herself and stopped speaking for a short time. She turned serious. "I won't even ask you for a reason why you can't. But don't give me bullshit."

They walked the rest of the way to the houses in silence. As Ellie turned to go into her house, Joey stopped. Ellie looked to either side of the street before walking back to him.

Joey looked at the ground as he spoke. "Before you came here… I'd like to think I had friends, but… people tended to keep their distance. You know, my parents ran things I guess that kind of scared people or something."

"What made me different?" Ellie asked, folding her arms.

Joey looked up. "You just didn't give a shit about any of that."

"Maybe I'm just a good actress."

"Another one of the many ways we're different," Joey said.

Ellie nodded. "So, where are we going with this?"

Joey took a deep breath. "When you left, I spent the entire morning thinking that I'd lost the only person who accepted me for me. Even though you hated me half the time."

"I'm still waiting," Ellie said, urging him to get to the point.

"I'm an open book," Joey said spreading his arms before letting them fall to his sides. "You, Heather, Matthew, Tim, even Clarisse. You all have a lot more experiences than I've ever had. I can't understand Heather's world. _That_ world."

"You haven't tried," Ellie commented. "Not really."

"I don't think I should," Joey argued. "Heather's the only friend I've had who I feel really understands me. If it can't work or I fuck up… I don't want to lose that."

"You're scared that one issue between you two would result in the ultimate destruction of your lives?" Ellie asked, raising an eyebrow. "Well, that would suck, I guess."

"You left because you were mad at Uncle Joel," Joey said. "And you found Matthew. Can you really tell me, that at any point when you were out there, you wouldn't do anything to keep that trust you and Matthew had from being broken? From _losing_ that trust?"

Ellie looked away and thought back to her time with Matthew.

"I guess not," Ellie admitted. She looked at Joey. "You're pretty smart for a dumb kid sometimes."

Joey shrugged. "You still didn't answer my original question."

"I'll stop," Ellie assured him. She patted him on the shoulder and spoke as she turned away. "Just make sure that you don't wait too long if you ever come to your senses. Otherwise, someone else will beat you to it."

"Like who?" Joey asked.

Ellie smiled at the small concern in his voice. She turned and put her hands in the air. "Well… you know. Me for starters. If only to teach you a lesson. I mean, that could get a little awkward between Matthew and me, but it'll be worth it."

Joey shook his head and rolled his eyes.

Ellie stuck out her tongue and put her hand on the doorknob.

"Can I offer some advice?" Joey asked.

Ellie pretended to think deeply, stroking her chin. "Well, that's officially going to be _my_ job in a few days and I wouldn't think it would be your strongest talent, but… what the hell? Why not. Shoot."

"Despite the fact that it can be your most annoying quality at times," Joey began, sticking his hands in his pockets. "Your smartass comments do have a way of breaking the ice as long as you don't overdo it."

Ellie nodded in acknowledgment. "Thanks. Goodnight."

"See you later," Joey said.

Ellie walked into the house and went straight to bed, falling asleep immediately.

 ** _…_**

Joel and Matthew sat at the kitchen table playing chess as Ellie entered the bedroom and closed the door.

Joel made his move with a sigh.

"You don't think this foundation thing is going to work out," Matthew said. It wasn't a question.

"I don't know," Joel admitted quietly. "What I do know is that Ellie's placing herself in a room with a group of people who've all been killers once upon a time."

"She's _living_ with two people who were killers once upon a time," Matthew countered, moving a bishop.

"You would know who's coming better than I would," Joel continued, moving a knight. "She's told you everything since day one."

Matthew moved his queen out of harm's way. "She hasn't actually told me all that much. I mean, she mentioned it frequently enough. But I didn't really know how much she wanted to do it until last year. Either way, no matter how we feel about it, it's happening."

"Whether we like it or not," Joel grunted.

"Well, that's just the thing," Matthew said, cautiously moving his knight forward. "When Ellie sets her mind to something, there's not much hope in stopping her."

"And?" Joel pressed, knowing Matthew had more to say. He moved his king back a space.

"I don't know if this is going to work out," Matthew admitted. He grabbed a bishop and moved it. "But if it comes down to it, would you rather have Ellie doing this alone and unwilling to come to us because she doesn't feel we support her? Checkmate."

Joel examined the board for a moment and didn't reply. _I wouldn't be the one she would turn to._

"Just remember," Matthew said. He glanced at the door to the bedroom and looked back Joel. "I wasn't the one she asked to be there to _support_ her."

 ** _…_**

Ellie awoke early the next morning, got dressed in a simple flannel green shirt and blue jeans, grabbed the posters out of her bag, walked into the living room, and sat on the couch.

A few seconds later, Joel set down a plate of food down on the table in front of her. Ellie nodded her thanks and placed the posters on the table, moving the food to the arm of the couch. She ate a piece of apple and wiped her hand on her shirt

Joel sat down next to her on the couch, wearing a red flannel shirt and black pants. He placed his own food on the other arm of the couch before picking up half the posters and started separating them into three piles.

Ellie gave him a look of confusion.

"Three piles," Joel said, pointing to each stack as he spoke. "You. Joey. Heather."

Ellie nodded and grabbed the rest of the pile. She looked at Joel. "You want to make it four?" she asked.

Joel didn't reply. He started placing posters on each pile.

Ellie joined him. "You still don't want me to do this, do you?"

"You know the answer to that," Joel replied. He glanced at Ellie and gave her a half smile. "But I can't stop you. And… I shouldn't."

Ellie looked at the posters in her hand for a moment and continued to sort them. When Joel wasn't looking, she smiled in his direction.

A few minutes after they'd finished and Ellie had gotten dressed, there was a knock on the front door.

"That's probably Joey," Ellie said. She grabbed the posters that now had small napkins in between each pile. She looked at Joel. "I'll see you tonight."

"Take your coat," Joel said. "It's cold out there."

"Yeah, yeah…" Ellie said. She grabbed her coat, opened the door, and walked outside. "Thanks, Joel."

"See you tonight."

Ellie closed the door behind her and handed Joey a pile of posters. "Thanks, Joey."

"What no comment about my 'missing romantic partner'?" Joey said as she walked away.

"I got shit to do," Ellie replied. "And I keep my promises… unless I'm bored."

"Tell Heather I said 'hi'," Joey called as she walked away.

Ellie held up a thumb.

Joey called again. "You're making progress. I think about twenty seconds without a comment is the record."

Ellie held up her middle finger.

A while later, Ellie walked up to Heather's house as the other girl walked out the door. Heather zipped up her black coat over her blue jeans as Ellie reached out and handed her a pile of posters.

Heather looked at Ellie. "Ready?"

"For what?" Ellie asked as they walked down the street, placing a few posters on the occasional street pole and unused building.

"Friday," Heather said, handing a poster to a woman they passed on the street.

"I'm fine," Ellie insisted. "Geez, you're like Joel."

They walked along the perimeter of the Wall surrounding Jackson, taping up and distributing as much of the posters as they could.

"So… you're mad at Joel?" Heather asked as they were three fourths of the way around Jackson.

"Not really," Ellie admitted. She sighed. "I mean, he doesn't like it, but he did say he would come and he even helped me divide up the posters this morning."

"That's better than how you thought it would be last week when you told me you were going to ask him," Heather said.

"I guess," Ellie said with a shrug. She looked at Heather. "Why are you so interested anyway? I know you're not coming and that's fine because you know I'll listen to you anytime, but you're being kind of… pushy."

"Pushy!" Heather snorted. She laughed. "You really shouldn't be talking about pushy."

"I am exactly as pushy as I need to be," Ellie said, nudging Heather with her shoulder.

Heather nudged her back.

Ellie smiled as she handed another poster to a man who was walking past.

The man took the paper without even looking at it.

Ellie shook her head and looked at Heather. "I'm still waiting for an answer, by the way. Why does _me_ being ready concern _you_ so much?"

"When I was younger, I had to help out my mom a lot," Heather started to explain. She gulped. "The first time that I had to help her with a wound… I froze."

"I don't think I've ever seen you freeze," Ellie said as she stopped. She looked around before raising her sleeve. "You didn't even react to _this_."

Heather took a deep breath. "Contrary to popular belief, I don't think that Infected are the worst thing to come out of the outbreak," she said quietly.

"Before the first winter I had out there," Ellie said, lowering her sleeve. "I would have disagreed with you."

"Anyway," Heather said, making an obvious attempt to adopt a lighter tone as they continued walking. "When she was teaching me, my mother kept asking me if there was anything I needed to know. I insisted that there wasn't, and… I was lying. There was one thing that I had a question about. One thing. There was a low probability of it ever happening, but it did."

"What happened?" Ellie asked.

"Mom managed to fix it and the guy was fine until he got shot a few hours later," Heather said. She looked down. "The guy could have died because of _me_. I was old enough to know better than to let my… ego, pride, whatever, get in the way."

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "How old were you?"

"Nine."

"By Jackson standards, that's not that old," Ellie informed her.

"Well, you and I didn't grow up within Jackson's standards," Heather said with a sad smile. She stopped to place a poster on a street pole. "The point is, I chose not to ask the question and the man almost died."

"Heather, I don't plan on killing anybody," Ellie said with a laugh.

"Nerves kill," Heather said firmly. "I know talking about your nervousness isn't your strong suit, but I figured I'd give it a try."

"Well, thanks," Ellie said as they neared the shop. "But I don't need it."

They entered the shop and taped a few posters to the front desk and back wall before exiting. Heather moved to tape a poster on the front door as Ellie moved to the window.

A man walked toward the door. "Hey, Ellie."

Ellie looked up. "Hey, Don."

"What are you up to on this cold-ass day?" Don asked.

"Just putting up these posters," Ellie said, holding one out to him. "I'm trying to set up a… a place where people can get things off their chest. You know, make life easier. I'm just trying to help out."

"Interesting," Don said, glancing at the paper Ellie was still holding out.

A friend of Don's walked up to them and the two men entered the store without another word.

Ellie lowered her arm with the poster still in hand. She turned to the window and started to tape it up, swearing under her breath as she placed the poster on the window upside down.

"You okay?" Heather asked, walking forward and handing Ellie a piece of tape.

Ellie turned and leaned against the window. "You know all of those negative feelings you avoid because your so determined to get through something? They're supposed to happen right before the big event, but I guess they're deciding to show up a few days early."

"Negative feelings," Heather said, leaning against the window next to Ellie. "Such as?"

Ellie sighed. "What if I get all this shit set up and nobody sees any of it or everyone thinks it's just a joke?" she asked seriously.

"You don't think anybody's going to show?" Heather asked.

"That's what it feels like," Ellie grumbled.

"Well, I have an idea," Heather said, grabbing Ellie by around shoulder and walking her down the street. "In the unlikely event that nobody comes, you can just come over to my house. I'll break out the booze that I've been saving for the medical emergency that's never going to happen and you can get totally shit-faced."

"How would me being totally shit-faced help?" Ellie asked, laughing despite herself.

"You get to vent freely," Heather said simply. "And I get to see you drunk again, which will make it amusing for me."

"I might have to take you up on that," Ellie said. She took a deep breath. "Okay. I'm good now. Thanks."

"That's what I'm here for," Heather said.

They saw Clarisse turn down the street ahead with another girl walking beside her.

Heather pointed to the pair. "You should meet Clarisse's friend. She's a little shy, but you're pretty good with kids. I'll go and see if can find a walkie-talkie to get an update on how Joey's doing and have Joel or Matthew get a hold of you."

"Bye," Ellie said to Heather.  
Clarisse and the other girl reached Ellie a few seconds later.

"Hi, Clarisse," Ellie said with a smile.

"Hi, Ellie," Clarisse said. She shivered, drawing her pink jacket closer to her and rubbing her hands on her black jeans.

The other girl next to her was wearing a set of Clarisse's old clothes. She was a young Chinese girl with long raven colored hair that cascaded down her shoulders and over her blue eyes. She wore a pair of dark blue pants and dark blue jacket.

Ellie knelt and held out her hand. "Hi, I'm Ellie. I'm a friend of Clarisse and her brother Tim."

"I'm Lin," the girl said, shaking Ellie's hand without hesitation. "My dad says that anybody who's friends with Tim and Clarisse can be my friend too."

"Your dad sounds smart," Ellie said with another smile.

"What do you have in your hand?" Clarisse asked Ellie.

Ellie realized that she was still holding her last poster for the Foundation. After a brief hesitation, Ellie shrugged and held out the paper. "Just some adult stuff. I'm trying to help people in Jackson."

"Can I try to read it?" Lin asked.

"Sure," Ellie said handing it to her. "Are you going to go to school with Clarisse?"

"I hope so," Clarisse answered for her. "It would be nice to have somebody to talk to."

"I hope so too," Lin said. She held the paper up to Clarisse and pointed at a word. Clarisse whispered something in Lin's ear and the other girl nodded.

Ellie smiled at the small exchange.

Lin looked at Ellie. "Can I take this?" the young girl asked. "My dad wants me to keep practicing my reading and I don't have any books yet."

"Knock yourself out," Ellie said, standing. "Just so you know, I also sponsor sleepovers anytime. So if you and Clarisse ever want to hang at my place, it's yours."

"Thank you," Lin said. "Mrs.… um."

"Just Ellie," Ellie said. "You two kiddo's have fun today. Make sure you show her the park, Clarisse."

"Okay," Clarisse said. She grabbed Lin's hand and the other girl gladly ran off with Clarisse, Ellie's poster still in hand.

Ellie smiled again as she watched Clarisse and Lin disappear.

Ellie heard somebody stop and stand behind her. She recognized who it was instantly and spoke without turning around. "You know, you were never very good at sneaking up on me."

"Yeah…" Tim said, moving to stand beside her. "Yeah, I remember the time I tried that. You almost shot me."

"You almost stabbed me," Ellie countered, turning to walk down the street. She glanced at him. "Good times, huh?"

"It was worth it," Tim said, turning to walk beside her. "Sorry I couldn't help out today. I've been… preoccupied."

"Watching out for your little sister?" Ellie asked.

Tim stopped walking for a moment.

Ellie laughed. "C'mon Tim. You've been telling Clarisse for years that she can be friends with anyone she wants. She's not exactly going to trust your faith if she catches you stalking her."

"I know," Tim said, slightly embarrassed. "I know, and I meant everything that I've ever told her, but… she's been my girl for so long that… Even though she just met Lin, I guess I'm a little…"

"Jealous?" Ellie completed.

"Maybe," Tim said thoughtfully. "I don't know. Maybe I'm overprotective."

"Well, jealousy I will _never_ admit to knowing much about," Ellie said calmly. "But overprotective… Let's just say that I have experience losing people."

"It's because of you and Matthew that I didn't lose her," Tim said. He sighed. "I never thought that it would be hard to let her go in Jackson."

"Sometimes, letting people go is the best thing you can do for them," Ellie offered.

Tim didn't answer.

Ellie walked in front of Tim and stopped. "Maybe you need to hang out with people _your_ age."

"I don't think—"

"Don't think," Ellie interrupted quickly. "This Saturday night. We'll find some place for Clarisse to hang out for a few hours. You come over to our house for dinner. Just adults. No kids allowed."

"I'm only fifteen," Tim said lamely. "I don't think that—"

"Stop," Ellie said, holding up her hand. "You have a job. Your raising your sister. You're an adult."

"Saturday," Tim said.

"Yeah," Ellie answered. "You _both_ came here for a new life. Am I right?"

"I suppose," Tim said slowly.

"Good," Ellie said as her house came into sight. "See you Saturday."

"Okay," Tim said.

Ellie nodded and moved toward the door.

Tim called out. "Hey, good luck on Friday."

Ellie nodded again.


	12. The Foundation: Winter's Flower

Matthew awoke on Friday morning and instantly knew Ellie wasn't in the bed next to him.

After a few seconds of petting Winston, Matthew shrugged, got dressed in simple blue sweater and jeans, and walked out to the kitchen as Joel walked downstairs. The older man was pulling on one of his nicer green flannel shirts to go along with his black jeans.

"Ellie already leave?" Matthew asked.

Joel stopped. "I thought she was with you," he said, confused. "Last night she went for a walk to 'think'. I figured she came home after I called it a night."

Matthew thought for a moment and looked at the clock. "I know where she is. She'll meet you at the bar."

"She better hurry, or she'll be late," Joel said with an equal amount of fear and relief in his voice. He sighed. "It's going to be a long day."

"In my experience," Matthew said, grabbing his black boots and coat. "Days with a lot going on tend to go _too_ fast."

"Maybe," Joel said quietly.

"I'll see you tonight, sir," Matthew said.

Matthew grabbed a spare set of clothes for Ellie and a hairbrush before quickly exiting the house and making his way to the park. When he arrived, Matthew saw Clarisse and Lin playing on the swings off to the side.

"Morning girls," Matthew said, stopping in front of them. "What are you doing here so early."

Clarisse jumped off the swing. "Lin's dad is busy today and said that we should come to the park. Tim's coming later."

"Sounds like a fun day," Matthew said, happy for both of them. "Ellie around too?"

Lin pointed behind her at the cluster of trees that hid the hangout area that Ellie and Matthew had created.

A walkie-talkie clipped to Clarisse's coat chimed.

Clarisse groaned. "My brother," she said to Lin, rolling her eyes. "Again. I'll be back."

Matthew smiled as Clarisse moved off the other side of the park, leaving him and Lin alone.

"Your girlfriend snores loud," Lin said quietly.

Matthew stifled a laugh. He raised the bag he was holding. "Ellie's got to get ready for work. Can you keep an eye out for me?"

Lin nodded.

Matthew moved around the cluster of trees and found Ellie asleep in the hammock, still wearing her boots and green winter jacket. Matthew held the bag behind him and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Ellie's eyes snapped open. "Shit!"

"How's the thinking going?" Matthew asked as Ellie rolled out of the hammock. "By the way you may want to watch your language. If Clarisse and Lin can hear you snoring, I'm sure that they can hear whatever else comes out of your mouth."

"Shut up!" Ellie snapped. She looked at the sun. "Dammit, I'm so late…"

"Not yet," Matthew said calmly. "If you move quick, you'll make it to the bar in time to set up. Joel will meet you there."

"But I have to go home! I have to get dressed!" Ellie said quickly, frantically trying to brush down her hair. "I have to look decent. I have to—"

Matthew held out the bag of clothes.

Ellie grabbed the bag, looked inside, and let out a sigh of relief. She looked at Matthew. "You are an amazing person."

"Uh-uh," Matthew said. He turned around as Ellie quickly began to change. "Have you thought of a name for this thing yet?"

"No," Ellie replied behind him. "I mean I thought about— fuck, that snow is cold! I thought about naming it after Riley, but it's to…"

"Riley is yours, no one else's."

"Ours," Ellie corrected. "I would have asked you first."

"I know," Matthew said. He turned as Ellie pulled on a nice flannel red sweatshirt similar to that of Joel's and a pair of clean, relatively hole-less blue jeans. Matthew threw Ellie her coat and glanced at the outfit.

"Thanks," Ellie said as she put the coat on and quickly brushed her hair. "Anyway, I figure a name will come when the time is right… Or this shit's going to crash and burn and I won't have to worry about it."

"That's… optimistic," Matthew said calmly.

Ellie put her hair up into a ponytail using an old, spare hair tie from her pocket. She took a deep breath. "How do I look?"

Matthew shrugged.

Ellie punched hard in the chest.

Matthew laughed. "This was always a good look for you."

Ellie relaxed and chuckled before walking forward. As she moved past, Matthew gently grabbed her hair tie and pulled it out of her hair.

"No fear," Matthew said, standing in front of her and placing the hair tie in his pocket.

"No fear," Ellie repeated. She took another deep breath. "You'll be home tonight, right?"

"That's why I took the mid-day shift."

Ellie leaned up and kissed him. "Thanks."

"No problem."

 ** _…_**

Ellie ran to the bar as fast as she could, arriving almost ten minutes early.

"You're late," Joel said to her when she entered. "People will be here in a few minutes."

"I'm glad one of us is optimistic about attendance," Ellie said, placing her coat over a chair.

"You're not?" Joel asked.

"At this point, my optimism is kinda irrelevant," Ellie said. She started grabbing chairs and bringing them to the center of the room. "If they show, they show, if not… well, then it's going to be a really shitty day."

Joel straightened a few of the chairs. "That's one way of looking at it," he grunted.

"I'd be surprised if you wanted to offer another," Ellie replied.

Joel looked at her and spoke calmly. "Ellie, just because I'm not one hundred percent with this doesn't mean I don't want you to succeed."

Ellie sighed. "I know. I'm sorry. I'm just on edge. Just… do me a favor and if things get tense today, let me do the talking. I want you here, but part of me needs to do this on my own."

Joel didn't reply.

Ellie spent a few minutes going over what she was going to say in her head. Afterwards, she straightened out her shirt and brushed her hair one last time before stashing the brush behind the bar. When it neared the time to start, she sat down in one of the chairs.

Joel leaned against the wall behind her, his arms folded.

"Ellie," Joel said quietly.

Ellie turned to him.

Joel looked her in the eye. "Are you sure you want to go through with this?"

Ellie looked away for a moment. "You once told me that no matter what happens, I keep finding something to fight for," she said slowly. "Jackson is great. I want to make it better. This is what I want to fight for. This my way of doing it."

"Okay," Joel said.

Ellie looked at her watch. The time ticked by. A few minutes after the scheduled time for the meeting to start, Ellie looked down and shook her head in disappointment. She moved toward the chair that was holding her coat. "So much for—"

The door opened and three people walked in.

The first was Jeff. He seemed to dress for the occasion, wearing a clean black t-shirt and black pants. He gave Ellie an awkward nod and grabbed a chair.

Ellie nodded in return. She had long since forgiven him for what happened with Joey. Not that she would ever choose to show it.

The second man was Lin's father. Ellie had learned that his name was Lei. She had briefly spoken with him after Clarisse had come to visit Ellie with Lin.

Lei had the same dark hair as his daughter. Although it was brushed, the rest of his attire represented long, hard years outside of Jackson. His faded blue jeans were ripped and his green shirt had more than a few small holes in it, revealing some scars. He also took a seat without a word.

The third man was Marcus. Ellie looked him over. While his plain blue jeans and brown shirt were relatively unscathed, they held no formal inclinations and his short, black hair was unkept.

Ellie didn't know much about the older man. Aside from mostly solo shifts on the Wall, he had always kept to himself and his family, rarely associating with even Tommy and Maria.

Ellie nodded at him, receiving a grunt in return.

Ellie looked at Joel, who was still leaning against the wall behind her.

It was then that Ellie realized she wasn't wearing the necklace he gave her.

Ellie shook her head. _That was a random thought._ _Whatever. It doesn't matter right now._

She took a deep breath. _No fear._ She sat down in a chair.

Jeff and Lei were looking at her with guarded, but polite expressions. Marcus was looking down at the floor.

Ellie opened her mouth to speak. _Fuck…_

"Sorry," Ellie said, forcing herself to chuckle. "You know, I had all this shit planned out in my head for months and it just… left."

Jeff and Lei chuckled softly.

Marcus shook his head in annoyance and remained silent.

"Okay…" Ellie said. She cleared her throat, attempting to ignore her pounding heart, the cold sweat on her back, and the red heat she felt on her face. "Okay. So, I um… I'm glad you could all come. It means that you guys want change. I do too."

Nobody spoke. Everybody continued to listen.

Ellie continued before she lost her train of thought. "For all the change that I had in my life, most of it was bad. Jackson… well it's one of the three changes that have stuck around and worked out… so far."

"That coming from the girl who left the safety of Jackson for a year," Marcus grunted, still not looking up.

Ellie hesitated before answering, choosing her words carefully. "Guilty as charged. But the point is that I had to change. The thing that I've learned since then is that change is not always bad. But I… _we_ have to be willing to let it happen."

"Change happens without our permission," Marcus argued gruffly, looking at her briefly. "Someone your age wouldn't understand that."

"Marcus," Joel warned from behind Ellie, speaking for the first time.

"No," Ellie said to Joel, holding up a hand. She kept her eyes fixed on Marcus. _I need to deal with this asshole now or I'm never going to be able to get this thing rolling._ "The whole point of this is to be able to talk. Let him talk. Anything you want to ask or say, I'm ready."

"How old are you, kid?" Marcus asked.

"Twenty," Ellie answered.

"So, you weren't even around when all this shit started," Marcus said.

"No," Ellie confirmed. She continued before Marcus could speak again. "And I wouldn't ever say that I've seen more or less than the next person. But I have seen and been through enough to know what it's like to feel trapped."

"What do you know about trapped?" Marcus snapped, his fists clenching and unclenching.

Ellie opened her mouth to answer before shaking her head. "Look, I didn't ask anybody to come here so that they can listen to all the problems _I've_ had and… sometimes _have_ in my life. If it helps, I will talk. But that's not the point of this."

Marcus shook his head and looked down again.

Ellie leaned forward. "And to answer your question, I _have_ felt trapped. I felt trapped feeling that I had to hold everything in when I was out there. And…" Ellie hesitated for a moment. "Sometimes holding everything in is supposed to help you survive. But it should be different here. The point of Jackson is to not feel trapped. It's supposed to make us feel free. I just want to offer an ear. What we feel out _there_ shouldn't have to be the same as what we feel in Jackson."

Jeff and Lei glanced at each other and Marcus but didn't say anything.

"That's why I don't want to be the first person to speak," Ellie continued, hoping she sounded confident. "Because this isn't about me. It's about _your_ lives. I just want to help make good change. Because I don't think this world has enough good change. I don't think it can _ever_ have enough good change."

Jeff and Lei looked at Ellie again.

Ellie made eye contact with them before fixing her gaze on Marcus. "Obviously there's three other people here who think that too," Ellie said seriously. She shrugged and adopted a lighter tone. "Otherwise, I'd be talking to myself and this would be really weird."

Lei smiled slightly but remained silent.

Ellie took a deep breath. "But change needs… it needs more than one person working at it. I think that for change to happen, _we_ need to deal with what happened _before_ so that the things that happen _after_ are better."

All three men looked at the ground.

Ellie leaned back in her chair hoping, praying that someone would say something. A full ten seconds passed without anyone speaking. The wind outside was clearly heard through the closed windows.

"I had a daughter."

Ellie turned in surprise as Joel walked forward and sat in a chair next to Ellie.

Joel took a breath of his own. "I had a… another daughter," he said glancing at Ellie.

Ellie smiled slightly as many emotions including pride, sadness, and affection overtook her. She quickly covered the smile up with her hand, wiping away a tear that unexpectedly formed in her eye.

Joel cleared his throat before continuing. "She… she didn't make it. After she died, I became who I thought I had to become to survive," he said quietly. "Hell, I became worse than the man that killed her. After I met Ellie, and… after I made it here, I tried to forget what I had to be out there."

Ellie glanced around as Lei and Jeff both looked at Joel. Even Marcus looked up.

Joel sighed and spoke again. "It took me a long, long time to remember that here, in Jackson, I could choose who to be. I had to remember that the person I was before my daughter died was still there."

"He _is_ still here," Ellie whispered.

Joel nodded to himself and fell silent looking at the floor thoughtfully.

Knowing Joel was finished, Ellie looked around at Jeff, Lei, and Marcus, hoping that the silence wouldn't continue for long.

After a few seconds, Jeff looked up and spoke. "I um…" he smiled sheepishly. "Well, let's just say you don't have to live here very long to learn that I have a shitty rep. But it's something that I deserved."

Ellie stifled a smart-ass reply.

Jeff looked down for a moment. "I wasn't always in Jackson," he said. "A couple friends… _former_ friends and I used to cause trouble in this zone we lived in. One day, we snuck out and couldn't sneak back in. The soldiers claimed not to recognize us and we had to leave. About ten years ago, a group from Jackson who were searching for supplies found us."

Ellie glanced around and saw that Lei and Joel were watching Jeff. Marcus didn't even look like he was listening.

Ellie looked at Jeff as he continued speaking. "…I got into some messed up shit and I almost… well I don't know what I was going to do," Jeff said quietly. He seemed unable to look Ellie in the eye. He sighed. "The point is, the zone I was in abandoned me, and this one didn't. God knows they had reason to."

"I've seen what's happened to people soldiers wouldn't let in the zones," Ellie said, causing Jeff to look at her. "I've seen the Infected too. Nobody deserves that."

Jeff nodded. "That's why I'm here, I guess," he said carefully. "I don't really know what _I_ deserve. I just think that the people who took me in deserve better than what I've given them. Plus, coming here is better than… well, sometimes the urge to cause trouble can be a bit strong."

Everyone else waited for Jeff to continue.

"That's all I got," Jeff said, seeming slightly embarrassed. "For now, at least."

"Well if you're looking something to occupy yourself, you can always volunteer at the shop," Ellie suggested after a few seconds. "The old man doesn't bite as long as you do the work."

"I might have to try that," Jeff said, giving Ellie an appreciative half smile.

Ellie thought for a moment. "This is a good start for change, Jeff. A lot better than a year and a half ago, at least."

"I'm just glad you don't have an itchy trigger finger," Lei said.

Ellie was confused for a moment until she remembered that Jeff and Tim had been the ones to let Lei and his daughter into Jackson.

Lei looked around the room, his eyes settling on Joel and Ellie. "I also wanted to thank you two," the Chinese man said gratefully. "Clarisse has been good for Lin. She and her brother speak highly of both of you. Thanks for making her feel welcome."

"It's our pleasure," Joel said.

"Thanks for giving Clarisse a friend in her age group," Ellie said, earning a couple chuckles.

Lei looked down and sighed. "She doesn't know that I'm here. Lin, I mean. I told her I volunteered to do a shift on the Wall."

"Why's that?" Ellie asked.

"Force of habit," Lei replied. He ran a hand through his hair. "Plain and simple; I'm a liar. Ever since she was born I've been lying to that kid. I guess I'm coming here so that some part of her father can be more than just a liar and a killer."

"Did you lie to protect her?" Ellie asked.

"And myself," Lei said. He intertwined his fingers as sadness entered his voice. "I thought I'd fallen in love in the zone I came from. I was wrong. But something good came out of it."

"Lin," Jeff said.

Marcus shifted slightly. Ellie looked at him out of the corner of her eye and saw a small look of sadness cross his features before he looked at the floor again.

"Yes," Lei whispered. He leaned back and spoke with a hint of bitterness. "The trouble is, her mother had some bad debts and… she wanted to sell Lin, an infant, to some gang."

"Jesus," Joel muttered.

"I ran," Lei said without regret. "I took Lin as a child and escaped the zone. I was a park ranger once upon a time. So, I went to one of the store cabins and held out for a few years. There was still plenty to hunt."

"Sounds like you played the hand you were dealt," Ellie said softly.

"I figured that if we stayed away from the zones and people in general, we'd be safe," Lei explained. He shook his head and looked out the window. "I eventually realized that it wasn't going to last. Eventually, someone or something would find us and Lin would either end up dead or recruited into the military."

"Sounds like you got lucky either way," Marcus said, not looking up. He glared at the floor. "The zones aren't safety. They never were. They all fall apart and nothing anyone does can save them."

Ellie glanced at Marcus with renewed interest. _So, he was listening_. "I'm assuming the zone you were in before finding Jackson didn't work out so well," she said carefully.

"I couldn't care less," Marcus spat. "I left before it tore itself apart. The only safe way to live in this world is when you're alone."

"You got married," Ellie commented. "And you have a two-year-old girl. So, I guess life's got to count for something."

"You really want to keep tearing people open like this?" Marcus snapped, standing up quickly and causing his chair to fall backward to the ground.

"Cool it, Marcus," Joel warned standing and taking a step forward.

Ellie reached out with a hand, blocking Joel's path. "That's not what I'm trying to do," she said quietly and calmly to Marcus.

"Nobody's forcing anyone to be here or to talk," Jeff said, coming to Ellie's aid.

Lei nodded in agreement and stood within reach of Marcus but stayed silent.

"Fine," Marcus said, folding his arms. "You want to go there? You want to know what the real world is like, little girl?"

Ellie didn't answer. She stayed sitting, not breaking eye contact.

Marcus took a step forward. "In the real world, your family dies! In the real world, it doesn't matter where you live! People _fucking_ die!"

Joel moved forward again at the same time as Lei.

Jeff also stood.

"Stop," Ellie said firmly. "Let him go."

"In the real world, walls don't keep the Infected out!" Marcus practically shouted, his fists clenching. "The Infected get in, and they destroy your families! The Infected take your son! They make your son into a monster and makes him run into his brother's room and—"

"Marcus!" Joel said loudly.

Marcus froze. After a few seconds of heavy breathing, he unclenched his fists and took a step back, slumping into his chair. He looked at the floor again, speaking quietly. "If you knew what the real world was like, you wouldn't bother trying to fix it. And when you see your son dead in his bedroom, and your other son dead on the streets left where the soldiers shot him, you will realize that _nothing_ can help this world."

An eerie silence settled over the room.

After a full thirty seconds of silence, Ellie opened her mouth to speak.

Suddenly, the power in the bar around them went out, making the sunlight filtering through the window the sole source of light in the building.

Everyone let out a collective breath that they didn't know they were holding.

Ellie took a deep breath and looked out the window. She saw lights on in the house across the street.

"Welcome to Jackson," Ellie said, forcing herself to chuckle. She looked at Lei. "Don't worry, this happens every once in a while. The power'll be back by tomorrow. But if you guys agree, I think we can call it a day."

Lei, Jeff, and Marcus, turned and walked out the door.

"You know where I live if you need me," Ellie called quickly. "And I'll to make another meeting next week if… and… they're gone."

After sighing, Ellie nodded to herself and grabbed her backpack and hairbrush. Before exiting the building, she picked up Marcus' chair and placed it next to the bar.

Ellie and Joel walked outside and into the sunlight. As they moved down the street, Ellie saw Marcus off to the side, trying to zip his coat with a broken zipper.

Ellie moved away from Joel, ignoring his quiet warning.

Ellie reached into her coat pocket and grabbed out a large paperclip she'd been using to hold the posters together. She lightly touched Marcus on the shoulder and stepped back as the older man spun around.

Ellie held out the paperclip.

Marcus hesitated before taking it and attaching it to his coat, allowing it to zip. He turned to walk away.

"I know you hate me already, but I'm going to say one more thing," Ellie called, stopping him in his tracks. "I'm really sorry about what you and your wife have been through. But despite all that, you survived. You're still married. You have a beautiful little girl. Which means that some part you _has_ to believe that _something_ can be good in what's left of the world."

Marcus stiffened.

"All that's got to count for something," Ellie continued. "And I've lost enough in this world to wonder what I missed. I also missed a lot of good that was right in front of my face. I wouldn't want anybody to miss that for themselves."

Marcus' head turned slightly. After a few seconds, he shook his head and walked away without a word.

Ellie gulped. _What the fuck did I accomplish today?_ She turned and marched past Joel.

Joel placed a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

"Me?" Ellie asked, turning to him. Uncertainty and disappointment continued to fill her thoughts and she suddenly felt exhausted. "I'm fine. But this whole idea… I don't know."

"Let's go home," Joel suggested.

"Yeah…" Ellie said distantly.

"You want to talk?" Joel asked.

"How do you think it went?" Ellie asked, looking straight ahead. "Exactly like you thought it would?"

"It went," Joel replied simply.

They both started walking.

Ellie remained silent until they reached the house.

Joey walked out of his house and moved quickly across the street to Ellie as Joel entered their house.

"Heather told me to give you this when I saw you," Joey said, handing Ellie a walkie-talkie. "She said you'd know what it means."

Ellie grabbed the walkie-talkie. She hesitated before talking into it. "T-B-D, Heather. I'll stop by later if I need some cheering up. But don't wait for me."

"Alright," Heather's voice answered. "Hopefully, I won't see you until tomorrow."

"I'm guessing the meeting wasn't a complete failure," Joey said.

"What makes you say that?" Ellie grunted.

Joey shrugged. "You tend to disappear when you're mad or disappointed."

Ellie shrugged as well. "Thanks for the walkie-talkie, Joey," she said as she handed the walkie-talkie back. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Ellie walked into the house and immediately retrieved her Walkman.

After a few hours of listening to music, Ellie walked into her closet and retrieved her mother's note. She read the last paragraph.

I'm not going to lie, this is a pretty messed up world. It won't be easy. The thing you always have to remember is that, life is worth living! Find your purpose and fight for it. I see so much strength in you. I know you'll turn out to be the woman you're meant to be. Forever… your loving mother

Anna

Make me proud, Ellie!

Ellie placed the letter back in her closet before flopping on the bed.

Joel walked into her bedroom and offered her a plate of food.

Ellie shook her head.

Joel nodded and set the plate on the bedside table next to Ellie's necklace. He sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Don't," Ellie said sharper than intended. She pulled out her headphones and sighed. "Don't sit on the bed. Because then you always make me feel better and I don't want to feel better. I feel like shit. I feel like I spent years trying to put that together and failed. I mean, they didn't even say anything before they left."

"They said more than they've probably said in years," Joel said gently.

"For what? What was the point?" Ellie asked. She let out a breath. "You were right. All I did was open old wounds that I can't close. No matter how much I want to and how much I try, I can't…"

Joel sighed and looked at the necklace next to Ellie. He reached forward and grabbed the necklace, holding it out to the young woman.

Ellie shook her head again.

Joel reached behind Ellie and placed it around her neck.

Ellie looked at the necklace for a moment.

"I missed that on you today," Joel said with a small smile.

Ellie took yet another deep breath. She turned off her Walkman and grabbed her guitar.

Joel nodded and exited the room.

Ellie took her guitar out to the living room and sat on the couch.

Joel joined her a few seconds later with his own guitar.

Before Ellie started playing, she looked at Joel. "Has anyone ever tried to do what I did?"

"What? The foundation?" Joel asked. He set down the guitar. "A lot, actually. For different reasons. Drinking. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Disease. There were lot of them before the outbreak."

"I mean now," Ellie said, leaning forward. "In the last twenty years, has anybody ever tried something like this?"

"Why are you asking these questions now?" Joel asked. He looked Ellie in the eye. "You didn't seem to care before today."

"I don't know," Ellie admitted. "Maybe I'm just trying to figure out why this didn't work."

"How do you know it didn't?" Joel asked.

"Did it?" Ellie countered.

Joel strummed his guitar a few times before answering. "Honey, you have to understand that even if this doesn't work out, you may never know the impact that you've made."

"I guess," Ellie said, not really believing Joel's words.

Joel smiled sadly. "Not everybody is as brave as you are, Ellie. Sometimes they can't say what they feel."

"Then what was the point?" Ellie asked, closing her eyes.

"Pause for thought," Joel said. "If you made even one person, if only for a second, think differently or better about whatever situation they're in or that they've been in, then you succeeded."

Ellie thought about his words for a minute and tightened her grip on the guitar.

"You ready?" Joel asked.

"Totally," Ellie replied.

Ellie and Joel played until the sun set. It began to snow outside.

Ellie allowed herself to relax and immerse herself into the songs that she and Joel had either learned or created. Ellie smiled as they finished a song they had been creating for over a month.

The front door opened and Matthew walked in, shaking the snow out of his hair. Ellie set down her guitar and stood. She walked over and gave him a hug. Matthew shut the door behind him and hugged her back.

"Long day?" Matthew asked.

"Quick day," Ellie replied.

Matthew and Joel exchanged glances that Ellie didn't understand.

"You're late," Ellie commented.

"Sorry," Matthew said. He took off his winter coat. "I stopped at the shop to grab some new gloves and—"

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Ellie moved around Matthew to open the front door.

It took Ellie a second to recognize the older woman standing outside. It was Marcus' wife, Janet. She had brown eyes and hair that cascaded over her brown coat. She also wore a pair of brown jeans.

"Hi," Ellie said lamely, unable to read Janet's face. _Is she about to yell at me too?_

Before Ellie could even say another word, Janet flung herself around Ellie, wrapping her in her arms. "Thank you! Thank you!"

"Um… your welcome," Ellie said, utterly confused. "For what, exactly?"

"Sorry," Janet said, letting Ellie go. She wiped a tear from her eye and brushing down Ellie's shirt. "I'm sorry. It's just… I forced Marcus to go to your meeting today. And he doesn't like talking about what happened to us."

Ellie didn't answer right away. "Talking about bad shit is hard on everyone," she said cautiously.

"Yeah," Janet said, brushing her hair out of her eyes. She let out a breath. "Marcus came home this afternoon and he refused to talk to me. But tonight, he tucked our daughter in. He's never done that. After our sons… Marcus has always been afraid to be close to her. But tonight…"

Ellie had to look away as Janet spoke. She felt a tear well up in her own eye and fall down her cheek.

Janet reached forward and grabbed Ellie's hands, squeezing them tightly. "Whatever you're doing there… keep doing it."

"I will," Ellie said quietly. She cleared her throat. "I will."

"Thank you," Janet said, hugging Ellie again with more tears in her eyes. "Thank you so much."

Janet brushed down Ellie's shirt again and walked down the street. Ellie stared after her and noticed Tim, Clarisse, and Lin moving toward the house as well. Ellie grabbed her boots and coat before exiting the house and closing the door behind her.

Ellie greeted them with a raised hand.

Clarisse jogged forward and hugged Ellie. In Clarisse's hand, she held the toy robot that Ellie had given her the morning after they met.

"Have a good day?" Ellie asked.

"Yup," Clarisse said. She lowered her voice. "Even with my brother following me around."

"What about you?" Ellie asked Lin with a smile. "You have fun too?"

"More than I've ever had," Lin replied with a large smile as she stepped close to Clarisse.

"Good," Ellie said, placing her hands on both their shoulders. She looked at Tim. "You still good for tomorrow night?"

"So far," Tim answered. "How was—"

"Daddy!" Lin shouted, running past Ellie and into her father's waiting arms.

"Hey, Bǎobǎo," Lei said hugging her tightly.

"What does Bǎobǎo mean?" Clarisse asked Tim.

"It means 'baby'," Lei translated.

"Aw," Ellie said, unable to stop herself.

"It means 'darling'," Lin said quickly, clearly embarrassed. "Darling is fine."

"Thank you for keeping an eye on my daughter," Lei said to Tim.

"Anytime," Tim said.

"Daddy?" Lin said, getting her father's attention. "Where were you today? You said that you took a shift on the Wall. We walked all the way around the Wall. We didn't see you."

"That's my fault," Ellie said quickly.

Lin turned to her.

Ellie shrugged. "You see… I needed some help and I asked your dad to—"

"It's okay," Lei interrupted. He picked Lin up and looked her in the eye. "I've always told you to tell the truth. It's time that I follow my own advice."

"You lied?" Lin asked.

Ellie saw confusion and a small amount of hurt enter the girl's eyes. Ellie looked away.

"What did you lie about?" Lin asked.

"I lied about where I was today," Lei said, grabbing her hand and bringing it to his lips. "There is a lot I haven't told you."

"Will you… will you tell me about my mom?" Lin asked with both hope and apprehension.

"Someday," Lei promised. "But for now, I just want to tell you that we're going to stay here in Jackson. And that I love you."

"Okay," Lin said, hugging him. "Can I still play with Clarisse tomorrow."

"Absolutely," Lei said, allowing Lin to slide down his body and hug Clarisse.

"Thank you for letting me be Lin's friend," Clarisse said to Lei shyly.

"Your welcome, 'Dōngjì huāhuì'," Lin said kindly.

Clarisse walked back to Tim.

"Ready to go home?" Tim asked.

Clarisse thought for moment, ran to Lin, and handed her the toy robot. "Here. I don't need it to protect me anymore."

Lin wrapped herself around Clarisse again.

Clarisse returned the hug and let go.

Lin returned to her father and was once again scooped up into his arms.

Clarisse nodded at Tim and they turned away.

"Thank you, again," Lei said to Ellie.

"Thank Tommy and Maria's family," Ellie said with a shrug. She looked around. "They created this place."

"I was under the impression that you were part of their family," Lei said with a raised eyebrow.

Ellie shrugged again.

Lei nodded. He lowered his voice again. "And uh, if you have any more of your meetings—"

"I'm hoping to have another next week," Ellie said. She tucked her hands in her pockets. "Well… once I figure out what it's called. I kinda dropped the ball when it came to naming it."

"Good," Lei said, looking somewhat relieved. "Goodnight."

"'Night," Ellie said. She thought for a moment. "Hey, what does, and I hope I'm not completely failing at saying this, 'Dōngjì huāhuì' mean?"

"Winter flower," Lei replied.

"Cool nickname," Ellie said, looking down.

As Lei and Lin disappeared from sight, Ellie smiled and looked up at the moon. She felt a pressure on her shoulder and saw Joel standing behind her.

"How do think the night went now?" Joel asked.

"Two out of three," Ellie said. "Not bad, I guess."

"Three out of three," Joel corrected. "The kid was just telling me that he saw Jeff at the shop asking for a job."

"Imagine that," Ellie said after a few seconds. She looked at Joel. "What about you? Did you speak up at the meeting just to help me out or because you wanted to? I mean, did it help?"

"Yes," Joel answered. He offered no explanation with the answer.

"Typical 'Joel answer'," Ellie muttered, giving Joel's shoulder a shove. "Anything more specific?"

"I don't know," Joel said. They started walking back toward the house. "What I do know is that you stood your ground and did something that… well it's a good cause."

"Now I just have to give 'the cause' a halfway decent name," Ellie said as they entered the house.

They took off their coats and boots before walking over to the couches and sitting across from each other.

"I want to keep doing this," Ellie said after a short silence.

"You should," Joel replied. He stood and grabbed his guitar. "Goodnight, baby girl."

"Goodnight, Joel."

Joel hesitated at the base of the stairs. "About the name… sometimes simple is better. After all you went through to put this together, you shouldn't stress on a name."

Ellie nodded but didn't reply.

Ellie played her guitar for a while longer. Eventually, she stood and walked toward her room and stopped as a thought occurred to her. She walked over to the couch and grabbed a pencil and paper. A few seconds later, she examined what she had written and smiled before placing the piece of paper on the table.

Ellie walked into the bedroom as Matthew pulled on his nightshirt. Ellie got dressed for bed without a word.

Matthew turned to Ellie. "So, how did your meeting go?"

Ellie shrugged and looked down. "It was awesome!" she exclaimed, running and tackling Matthew onto the bed.

"I knew it would be," Matthew grunted as he picked her up slightly threw her to one side of the bed.

Ellie waited for him to lay down before resting her head on his shoulder.

Matthew lifted her chin and gave her a quick kiss before laying back against the pillows.

"So, are you going to tell me about it?" Matthew asked after a few seconds of silence.

"I thought you'd never ask," Ellie said.

 ** _…_**

Winston rose from the floor in the living room and walked toward the bedroom. He wagged his tail happily as he heard Ellie's voice, accidentally knocking over the piece of paper Ellie had been writing on minutes before.

Possible Names:

The

Foundation


	13. Tim and Clarisse Part II: Innocence Lost

Timmy parked the truck in a small alcove of trees. It had been two days since Matthew and Ellie had given them to truck to reach Jackson.

Timmy reached over and gently prodded Clarisse awake.

Clarisse yawned and sat up, gripping the toy robot in her hand. "Are we there yet?"

"Not yet," Timmy answered. He exited the car. "We have to refill on gas again. Keep an eye out for me?"

Clarisse nodded and yawned again, setting the robot on the dash. She sat up and looked around, her eyes alert.

Timmy grabbed a gas can and started to fill up the truck.

Suddenly, there was a loud roar in the distance, followed by the screeches of Infected.

Timmy cursed under his breath as he heard screeches from the opposite direction. He realized that the screeches were getting closer and ran to the passenger door, immediately scooping Clarisse into his arms.

"Where are we going?" Clarisse asked, a hint of fear in her voice.

"Shh," Timmy said sharply.

Timmy turned, ran them to a fallen tree off to the left, and climbed over the top of it. His step faltered, and they slid down the bark.

Clarisse received a scrape on her right knee.

Timmy covered his sister's mouth as she let out a squeal before gently cupping her face. "We need to be very quiet," he whispered.

Timmy risked a glance over the tree and saw a group of Infected running toward the truck, briefly stopping to investigate the vehicle's gentle rattling. There was another loud roar from what Timmy now assumed to be a bear and the group of Infected ran off.

Timmy waited five seconds before picking Clarisse up again and running to the car. He placed her on the floor in front of the passenger seat.

"No matter what, you stay there until I say you can sit up," Timmy said firmly. "Understand?"

Clarisse nodded, the fear in her eyes evident.

"Remember what Ellie said about that robot," Timmy said gently, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It'll protect me," Clarisse said softly.

"Just like the other day when we were talking to Joel," Timmy reminded her.

Timmy let go of her shoulder and closed the door. He quickly grabbed the gas can and emptied the rest of its contents into the truck's tank. Timmy dropped the can to the ground and moved for the driver's door.

A twig snapped behind him.

Timmy turned around immediately and saw an older man staggering toward the truck. The man saw Timmy and stopped. His face was bearded and his grey shirt and pants were torn and stained with dried blood.

Timmy knew that the man wasn't Infected. He also understood that lack of infection made him no less of a threat.

Timmy said nothing, for fear that he would draw attention to Clarisse or draw the Infected back to them.

The man took a step forward.

Timmy grabbed the gun from his belt.

The man hesitated.

Timmy slowly shook his head took a step forward and pointed the gun at the man.

The man narrowed his eyes and took another slow step forward.

Timmy pulled back the hammer on the pistol.

The man stopped and looked in the direction that the Infected had run.

There was another loud roar from the bear and more squealing of Infected.

The man looked at the gun again and smiled, knowing that Timmy wouldn't risk shooting him and drawing back the Infected.

The man advanced toward Timmy. Toward the truck. Toward Clarisse.

Timmy dropped the gun and grabbed a knife, whipping it at the man. The blade embedded itself in the man's chest. Still, the man staggered forward, yanking the blade from his chest and brandishing it as a weapon.

Before he knew what was happening, Timmy found himself atop the man on the ground. He repeatedly stabbed and slashed with until the man beneath him let out his last breath and dropped the knife he was never given a chance to use.

Timmy sat atop the man for a moment, making sure that the man was truly dead.

Timmy looked down and saw that crimson liquid covered his hands. Drops of blood fell from his blade to the ground. His clothes were freshly stained red.

Timmy's entire body started to shake. He dropped the knives and fell to the side, vomiting.

Thirty seconds later, Timmy opened his eyes and saw the truck. He shook his head as an image of Clarisse in danger flew through his mind.

Timmy grabbed the knives and gun from the ground and started to move toward the truck.

Timmy tripped over the dead man's leg. As he rose again, Timmy saw the man's lifeless eyes and bloodied chest, cut open by numerous stab wounds. Timmy forced himself to swallow the bile that crept into his throat and ran to the truck, quickly getting into the driver's seat and closing the door behind him.

"Can I get up?" Clarisse asked, staring at him from her crouched position.

"Not yet," Timmy mumbled. He cleared his throat. "Not yet. Soon. Just keep your head down."

"Why are your clothes red?"

"Because I just—" Timmy bit his tongue in order stop his graphic reply. He gulped as he started the truck. "I just spilled some gas on me."

"I thought gas was yellow-ish," Clarisse said uncertainly.

"Shit!" Timmy cursed as he realized that their destination was also in the direction that the Infected had run. Timmy gunned the truck as fast as he could. He looked at Clarisse. "Sorry. Just… stay down."

Timmy soon came upon what he could only assume was the loud commotion they had heard earlier. As he sped past, Timmy saw a large black bear standing next to its cub. All around were what was left of Infected bodies.

Timmy looked at the bear as he sped past, noticing a large, non-fatal bite on its shoulder and a few smaller wounds. The large bear growled at the truck and kept its cub at paw's length.

Timmy kept driving.


	14. Tim and Clarisse Part II: Death's Moral

Two years following the events of "The Foundation"

BANG. BANG.

Someone on the Wall surrounding Jackson screamed in pain.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

Tim lowered his rifle as the last attacking Bandit stumbled to the ground and laid still.

Tim looked at Matthew, who was also lowering his crossbow.

Matthew turned to him and opened his mouth to speak.

"Jeff!"

Tim and Matthew spun around as Joey jumped off the Wall and onto the streets of Jackson, running to Jeff.

Tim gasped at the two bullet wounds in Jeff's chest. The blood flowed through young man's white t-shirt and into his blue jeans.

Matthew nodded at someone on the Wall to take his place and jumped onto the street. He took off his black sweater that he wore over his blue shirt and jeans before placing it on Jeff's wound, eliciting a weak grunt.

Tim jumped down and ran forward with his own sweater, feeling the spring breeze penetrate his tattered red t-shirt. Tim placed his blue sweater on the second bullet wound in Jeff's chest.

"Can you help him?" Joey asked Matthew desperately.

"No," Matthew said quietly, bowing his head.

Fear filled Jeff's eyes as he looked at his wounds. His eyes flicked desperately from side to side.

Joey grasped Jeff's shoulder.

Jeff grunted again and touched Joey's black jacket, staining it with his blood. "Joey…"

"You're going to be fine," Joey said as his eyes started to water.

Jeff shook his head. "Vun…"

"What?" Joey asked, leaning closer.

Tim looked down at the ground, knowing what was coming. Knowing that nobody could do anything to stop it.

"What…" Joey asked again as tears fell from his eyes. "What's Vun?"

Jeff tightened his grip on Joey's jacket and laid back. He slowly closed his eyes.

Jeff's hand fell to Joey's jeans.

Matthew shook his head.

Tim let out a breath. He barely noticed that some of the blood had slowly seeped through the thin sweater and onto his hands.

The morning sun rose and illuminated the entire scene.

"Jeff!" Joey shouted, shaking Jeff's shoulder. Tears continued to fall from his eyes. "Jeff, wake up!"

"He's gone," Matthew said gently, releasing his grip on the sweater.

"No!" Joey said, looking around franticly. "Heather can help him! Heather!"

Heather ran forward and crouched beside Jeff, her white shirt and blue jeans already stained with the blood of another wounded guard on the Wall. She looked at Joey and shook her head.

Joey looked down and shut his eyes. "Fuck…"

Ellie ran forward wearing a green sweater and blue jeans. "Oh no…"

Tim sagged to the ground.

Heather placed a hand on Joey's back as he started to shake, his hand still grasping Jeff's shoulder.

Ellie moved forward and placed a hand on Matthew's shoulder. He touched her hand briefly as a tear fell from his eye.

Tim looked down and saw the blood on his own hands.

 _Crimson liquid covered his hands. Drops of blood fell from his blade and to the ground. His clothes were freshly stained red._

Tim immediately stood and staggered away from Jeff's body and those mourning him.

Matthew stood with him. "You gonna be okay?" he asked.

"Tim," Ellie called.

Tim slowly turned.

Ellie walked forward, placing her other hand on Joey's shoulder.

Tim turned to Ellie as a tear flowed from his eye.

Ellie looked own for a moment. "I'm sorry you had to see this," she said softly.

Tim didn't answer.

"If you need anything," Ellie said. She kept looking at Tim, but also tightened her grip on Joey's shoulder. "You know where I am."

Tim remained silent. He turned and walked away as emotions rushed in.

Tim reached his house a short while later. He opened the front door with shaking hands as the events of the morning replayed in his head. From Jeff joining Tim and Joey on the Wall to the moment that the Bandit's ran from the trees.

Tim looked up and saw his eleven-year-old sister at the table. She was wearing purple t-shirt and pants.

After a second, Clarisse looked up from her drawing and gasped. "Are you okay?" she asked quickly. "Did something happen?"

"I'm fine," Tim said. He started walking toward his room, not meeting her eyes.

Clarisse stood and blocked his path with a look of fear in her own eyes. "Whose blood is that?"

"Jeff's," Tim answered without thinking as he turned to wash his hands in the sink.

"Is he…" Clarisse looked at Tim's face and seemed to know the answer. She ran forward and attempted to hug him. "I'm sor—"

Tim grabbed her outstretched arms and stopped her, pushing her away slightly. He felt frustration and anger start to rise within him. He knelt and spoke softly. "I need… I need you to go hang out with Lin for a while, okay? I need to be alone."

"Are you sure?" Clarisse asked.

"Go," Tim said firmly.

Clarisse grabbed her paper, pencil, and shoes. She stopped at the door for a moment before leaving and pulling it shut behind her.

Tim walked into his room, opened the closet door, and grabbed a can of beer.

 ** _…_**

Ellie arrived home as the afternoon sun warmed her. She walked into the house and was immediately greeted by Joel, who was wearing a red sweater and brown pants. He reached out to Ellie.

"I wasn't there," Ellie said, attempting to keep him at a distance. "Not until the end."

"Everyone else okay?" Joel asked, stepping back.

"Okay as in alive?" Ellie said, allowing some of her lingering sadness and anger out. "Yeah, but—"

"Shh," Joel said softly, pointing behind him. "Clarisse is in your room."

"Is she okay?" Ellie said, forcing back her emotions. She didn't wait for an answer. "Tim was probably a little shook up. I'll go talk to her."

"She's fine," Joel said, blocking her path. "You should take a minute, kiddo."

"I can't," Ellie said quietly. "I got too much shit to do. I have to set up for the meeting at the Foundation tonight."

Joel tipped his head. "I thought you said somebody was covering that meeting so that you could—"

"Relax?" Ellie completed. She looked away as emotions started to take over again. "Like that's going to happen. As it is, Jeff was supposed to take over for me tonight. But then he had to get himself…" Ellie forced herself to stop talking and shook her head as her eyes began to water again.

Joel placed a hand on Ellie's shoulder and pulled her into a hug that she accepted.

"It's not fair," Ellie whispered. "He was _just_ turning into a good guy and he gets shot. And now Joey's—"

"Joey's a strong kid," Joel said gently, letting go of her. "He's got strong friends. Family. He'll be fine."

Ellie nodded and took off her coat. She took in a breath and allowed the emotions to enter. Five seconds later, she let the breath out and allowed the emotions to fade as best they could.

"Tommy called me," Joel said as they walked further into the house. "He said that your boyfriend's going to help out with the emergency shift changes and Heather's working with the doctor to get everyone who got hurt sorted out."

"Yeah," Ellie said, calmer now. "Joey volunteered to help out too… I'm going to talk to Clarisse."

Ellie walked into her bedroom to see Clarisse sitting on the bed, drawing.

Clarisse looked up and immediately covered her drawing. "It's not done yet."

"No sneak peeks, huh?" Ellie asked, hoping that she sounded calm and somewhat cheerful.

Clarisse shook her head.

Ellie sat down on the bed. "That's okay. How are you?"

"Better than Timmy," Clarisse answered. She pushed her hair out of her eyes. "He said that Jeff… died and asked me to hang out with Lin."

"You want me to invite her over?" Ellie asked, hoping to avoid a conversation about death.

"No," Clarisse said with a sigh. She looked away. "Lin's not talking to me."

"You two had a fight?" Ellie asked, surprised.

Clarisse didn't answer.

Ellie put a hand around Clarisse's shoulder. "Is it about a boy or a school thing?"

"I'm eleven," Clarisse said flatly, looking at Ellie. "No. It's not about a boy."

"Good," Ellie said lightly. "Is it about a school thing?"

"No."

Ellie scooted a little closer. "Do you want to talk about it? If you don't, that's fine. But just remember that no one person or a stupid school thing is worth a friendship."

"I talked about my mom," Clarisse snapped, pulling herself from Ellie's grasp. She took a deep breath. "I didn't think it would make Lin sad. I don't know why it made her sad."

Ellie didn't reply. She grabbed Clarisse and turned her around so she could face Ellie.

"I said I was sorry," Clarisse continued. "I don't know why she's mad at me."

"It's not you," Ellie said softly. She grabbed one of Clarisse's hands. "You have to remember that not everybody in Jackson knew their parents and what they do know isn't always good."

Clarisse looked down. "I know," she moaned. "I was just…"

"I know," Ellie said kindly. "I know you didn't mean to make her upset. Lin does too."

Clarisse nodded. "Okay. I just hoped… I hoped that Lin and I could be friends like you and Matthew or you and Heather."

"Being friends doesn't mean that we never fight," Ellie said carefully. "We try not to fight in front of you and we try not to fight at all, but… sometimes the heat of the moment just gets the better of us and it happens."

"I told her I was sorry," Clarisse said again. "I didn't know there was 'heat'. But I'm mad that she won't talk to me."

"That's normal," Ellie said, placing a hand on Clarisse's back. "Sometimes, the reason that friends get mad at each other is because they're too stubborn or scared to say anything. They want to be tough and brave for you."

Clarisse shook her head. "I wouldn't care what was wrong. But if it's me I'd want to—"

"It's not you," Ellie reminded her.

"I think I'll tell her that next time," Clarisse said after a brief silence. "I don't care what's wrong. I just want her to be happy."

Ellie chuckled. "You might want to rephrase it slightly. Just let her know that you're there for her," she said as she grabbed Clarisse's other hand. "I know Lin and her dad. I bet you that when you need her the most, she'll be there for you too."

"Okay," Clarisse said, hugging Ellie.

"Are you going to stay for lunch?" Ellie asked, letting go of Clarisse's hand.

"No," Clarisse answered, sounding happier. "I can probably go back now. Timmy only said I needed to leave for a few hours."

"Can I walk you home?" Ellie asked.

"I can do it."

Ellie gave Clarisse a light hug. "I'll see you later, kiddo."

Joel walked into the room and handed Ellie the walkie-talkie he was holding as Clarisse exited the house. "It's the kid."

"What's up?" Ellie asked, speaking into the device.

"I've just finished setting everything up," Matthew said. "You wanna meet me at the shop with Winston? The dog could use a walk."

"That sounds great," Ellie said as the dog ran into her room. "I'll see you in a bit."

Ellie handed Joel the walkie-talkie.

"Making dates on the public walkie-talkies?" Joel teased.

"Remaking," Ellie replied. She sat down on the bed and sighed. "We haven't had a lot of time since Matthew started taking more shifts and I started up the Foundation. And with this morning… it's the only chance we'll have for a while."

"Welcome to life," Joel said. He walked out of the room. "Just behave yourselves."

"Like you would know if we weren't," Ellie said, standing up.

"After a few months, I would," Joel replied as Ellie caught up to him.

"Is that you giving permission?" Ellie asked with mock hope.

Joel grunted.

"Just kidding," Ellie said, grabbing the dog's collar. "I'll stop back before I head to the meeting tonight."

Ellie walked to the general store with Winston. Matthew exited with his head held low. Ellie walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder.

Matthew jumped at the contact. "Sorry," he said, shaking his head. "I just got hit with some unexpected… I don't know."

"I'm sorry," Ellie said, releasing his shoulder and grabbing his hand as they started to walk. "Just remember that it's okay to _feel_ in Jackson. Nobody will call you weak."

"I know," Matthew said. He sighed. "Old habits die hard, I guess."

Ellie and Matthew separated briefly as the dog moved between them before intertwining their hands again as they started to walk.

"I was doing fine until I walked in the shop and saw what Jeff was supposed to take home after his shift tomorrow night," Matthew said quietly. "Then they hit me."

"Memories?" Ellie asked.

"Yeah."

"That happens to everyone," Ellie assured him. "It happened to me at the mall in Boston."

"The memories weren't all bad," Matthew tried to explain. "But…"

Ellie squeezed his hand.

Matthew squeezed back and took a deep breath. "Okay, let's talk about something else."

"Like what?"

"Like how did trying to teach Lin and Clarisse how to whistle go?"

"Oh, speaking of Lin and Clarisse…"

Ellie and Matthew continued to talk as they traversed Jackson, briefly stopping to chat with others walking on the street.

They slowed down as they saw Tim and Clarisse's house.

"Do you want to visit?" Matthew asked.

"I haven't been able to talk to Tim since this morning."

"Why not," Ellie said. She lowered her voice to a loud whisper. "Just remember not to mention L-I—"

"You're talking to somebody two years older than you," Matthew said with a laugh. "And unlike a certain twenty-two-year-old, I know how to not bring up awkward…"

"What?" Ellie asked, looking at him.

Matthew had completely frozen, the look on his face a mix of shock, horror, and anger.

Ellie followed his gaze. "What's…"

Tim was slowly staggering out of his house, clearly drunk. With every step, he stumbled to the side, almost falling. He kept looking back at the house.

Ellie looked at the ground and shook her head in anger. "Fucking Christ, Tim."

"I'm going to kill him," Matthew muttered under his breath.

They watched as Clarisse walked out of the house behind Tim.

"Oh shit," Ellie said, letting go of Matthew's hand and quickly moving toward the house.

 ** _…_**

Tim almost fell again as he tried to walk away from his sister.

Clarisse continued to follow.

"Go back in… house…" Tim said, his words slurring. "Get away… from me."

"I can help!" Clarisse said, attempting to reach for him. "I can help! I'm here for you! Just let me help!"

"Get away!" Tim shouted spinning around as Clarisse reached for him.

 ** _…_**

"Hey!" Ellie shouted as Clarisse fell backward after colliding with Tim's flailing arm. Ellie started running faster. "Tim, Stop!"

 ** _…_**

Tim reached down and grabbed Clarisse's shoulders.

Clarisse yelped in surprise as Tim hauled her to her knees, unintentionally shaking her as he spoke.

"You don't understand!" Tim said loudly. "You don't understand what I did…"

"Timmy…" Clarisse whispered as tears started to form in her eyes.

"I only wanted to protect you!" Tim shouted. "I—"

"Let go of her!"

Tim found himself on the ground beside his sister as Ellie stood above him, shaking out her fist and wincing in pain.

Tim watched as Ellie glared at him and knelt by Clarisse. "Clarisse," Ellie whispered. "Clarisse, it's me."

Tim attempted to rise, feeling dazed as his anger turned to fear. "I'm sorry… I…"

Tim fell silent as Matthew stepped between him and Ellie, looking at him as if he were a monster.

"Kiddo," Ellie whispered to Clarisse. "I need you to open your eyes and go to Winston, okay?"

"Okay," Clarisse croaked.

Clarisse rose and moved behind Matthew.

As Clarisse moved past Tim, she looked at him.

Tim saw only fear and sadness.

Tim looked down, unable to keep her gaze. He looked up as Ellie wrapped her hand

around Clarisse's shoulder.

Tim knew that he'd lost his sister. _I can't… I won't…_

Tim staggered to his feet. "I'll go, Ellie!"

"Shut up," Matthew said quietly, stepping in front of Tim.

"I'll do it!" Tim continued, ignoring Matthew. "I'll come to the meeting tonight! I'll do whatever I need to do!"

Ellie stopped walking for a moment but didn't turn. After a moment, she kept walking with Clarisse.

Tim attempted to follow. "I'll come—"

"Enough!" Matthew said loudly, pushing Tim back a step with one hand.

Tim froze.

"Now, I'm sorry about what happened to Jeff this morning," Matthew said, seeming to put an effort into staying calm. "But dealing with it like this will do so much more damage to you and your sister. It might even—"

"I know!" Tim shouted. He looked down at the spot that Clarisse had been laying seconds before. "You can't…"

"I can't what?" Matthew growled as he folded his arms.

"You can't take her away from me," Tim whispered. "I can't—"

"Goddammit, Timmy. I may not have a choice!" Matthew shouted, stepping forward. "You are seventeen years old! You are not her father, you are her brother! And she needs a brother that she can depend on! I warned you that this could happen! I…"

Tim shuddered and slowly got to his feet.

Matthew took a deep breath, clearly attempting to calm himself. "Look. I love you. You are the closest thing I have to family other than Ellie. And we all love Clarisse. But—"

"I love her too," Tim argued. He sniffled. "I swear. I didn't mean—"

"It doesn't fucking matter anymore," Matthew snapped. "I _doesn't_ matter. Clarisse is eleven years old, Tim. And if I think you are _any_ danger to her I will _personally_ guarantee that you _never_ see her again!"

"I'm not," Tim attempted to say. "I won't be. Never again."

"Yeah, well, I've heard it before," Matthew grunted. He held up a finger before Tim could speak. "Get yourself sober. Get rid of the fucking alcohol. And get your shit together. Clarisse is staying with me and Ellie until you do."

Matthew walked away without another word. Leaving Tim standing alone.

Tim looked across the street and saw several onlookers. He closed his eyes and fell to his knees. _What have I done…_

 ** _…_**

Ellie looked down at Clarisse who still had not said a word since they'd walked away from Tim.

The young girl stared at the ground outside the door to Ellie's house.

"Clarisse," Ellie said softly.

The girl slowly looked up at her.

Ellie continued speaking softly. "I know you're freaked out. And that's fine. But I need you to say something. Anything. And I promise I'll keep it between us. But… I need to hear your voice."

Clarisse swallowed before answering. "I want… I want my art."

"I'll grab it as soon as I can," Ellie promised. She felt her anger rise at the thought of seeing Tim but pushed it away. "Let's just get you settled, first."

Ellie opened the door and they walked inside.

Joel raised a hand in greeting from the kitchen table.

Ellie raised her left hand as Clarisse pulled on her right wrist. Ellie winced at the reminder that she had sprained it when she'd punched Tim.

Ellie glanced at Joel as she knelt to Clarisse.

Joel looked at her right hand, then in her eyes raising an eyebrow.

"Can I have a soda?" Clarisse asked.

"Go ahead," Ellie answered.

Clarisse walked into Ellie's room and loudly closed the door.

Joel stood, walked to the freezer, and grabbed a handful of ice. He wrapped it in a washcloth and stood next to the table.

Ellie sat down next to him. "This is turning into a really shitty day," she grumbled.

Joel wrapped the cloth around Ellie's wrist and applied a small amount of pressure.

Ellie winced. After a few seconds, she grabbed the cloth and applied more pressure.

"You gonna tell me what happened?" Joel asked, sitting down in a chair across from her and leaning back.

Ellie sighed. "Tim was going through a rough time a few years ago," she explained, keeping her voice low. "And… Clarisse almost got involved."

"The night Clarisse came home with you at three in the morning," Joel recalled. He kept his voice low as well. It held no judgment. "So, I'm guessing that this time, Clarisse got involved."

"We thought we handled it," Ellie said quickly. "I swear, Joel. I thought Matthew and I had handled it. Tim got rid of… well, he cleaned up."

"So, what happened today?" Joel asked.

Ellie looked at her bedroom door, then at the floor. "He pushed her."

"Tim pushed Clarisse," Joel said with a small amount of surprise.

"I don't think he meant to," Ellie tried to explain.

"And your wrist is sprained because…"

"I hit him," Ellie finally said. She looked Joel in the eye. "I'm not sorry, either. He was grabbing her and shouting at her and shaking her and…"

"Did he stop?" Joel interrupted. "After you hit him, did he stop?"

Ellie nodded. "I grabbed Clarisse and left. She can't be with him right now."

"I don't disagree," Joel said kindly. He looked at Ellie's door. "It sounds like you did what you could a few years ago. But there needs to be a change _now_."

Ellie put her uninjured hand in the air, speaking irritably. "Now, Tim is saying we wants to come to the Foundation."

"That's a start," Joel said calmly. There were a few seconds of silence.

"I don't know if I can do it," Ellie said bitterly. Vehemence was attached to her every word. "I'm just so f _ucking_ angry with him right now. I don't know if I can be who I am at the Foundation… with him there."

"It's a hard situation," Joel admitted. "But?" Ellie pressed knowing that Joel had more to say.

Joel reached down and adjusted the cloth slightly on her wrist. "But I think you've taken on harder tasks."

"Not this close to home," Ellie argued, continuing to keep her voice low.

Joel nodded understandingly and cupped her sprained hand in his own. "When you were younger… I kept myself at a distance. I know it hurt you and I'm sorry about that."

"I know," Ellie whispered.

Joel continued. "Sometimes, I had to hide who I was so that I could be what… who I had to be."

Ellie pondered his words for a few minutes before taking a deep breath. "You're right," she said, nodding to herself. "I need to see this through."

"Endure and survive," Joel said firmly. '

"Endure and survive," Ellie repeated.

Joel nodded and moved to stand.

Ellie reached out and grabbed his arm. "Joel… thanks."

"You're welcome," Joel replied.

Ellie stood and smiled for the first time in hours. "Just don't ever shave that beard. You'll lose that old guy sagely look."

"I'll try my best to take that as a compliment."

"Smart man," Ellie said. She moved toward her bedroom door and opened it. "Clarisse?"

The little girl was lying on the bed facing away from Ellie, apparently asleep. Ellie closed the door.

 ** _…_**

Clarisse opened her eyes after Ellie closed the door. She didn't bother to wipe away the tears. She kept repeating one thought in her head. The same thought that she'd had since her brother started shouting at her. _What did I do wrong?_

 ** _…_**

Tim gathered all the alcohol that he had in the house and placed it in a bag. After triple-checking the house, he walked to the front door.

Tim sighed and opened the door to see Ellie.

Tim froze. "Ellie… I—"

"I'm taking clothes, art, and her blanket," Ellie said firmly. She moved past him without another word and entered Clarisse's room. Upon returning, Ellie turned to Tim. She continued speaking sternly. "When you show up tonight, I am not your friend. You don't know me. When you see me, I am a stranger who is simply doing my job. Am I understood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Ellie stopped at the front door, facing the opposite direction. "I'm so disappointed in you," she said quietly.

Tim watched as Ellie left and walked back down the street. Tim ran a hand through his hair. If possible, he felt sicker and guiltier than the minute before.

Tim forced himself to take a deep breath and grabbed the bag of alcohol, making his way to Heather's house.

Tim knocked on the front door and was greeted by Joey.

"Hey," Joey said, opening the door.

"Hey," Tim said, unsure of what to say next. He took another deep breath. "Look, man. I'm sorry about Jeff. I know you two were trying to…"

"We were trying," Joey said with a nod. He sighed and looked in the house behind him before returning his gaze to Tim. "I passed Matthew on the way here. Now, I'm not going to say anything because I don't have the… experience from being out there to pass judgement. But you should—"

"What are you doing here?" Heather snapped from behind Joey.

Joey shook his head and slowly moved aside as Tim stepped forward.

"You know what? I don't care!" Heather practically shouted. "Just get the hell out of here!"

Tim held up the bag. "I'm getting rid of all of it this time and I—"

Heather grabbed the bag and threw it as hard as she could over Tim's shoulder. "I don't give a shit!" she yelled, stepping forward.

"Heather," Joey warned.

Tim held up a hand to stop Joey.

Heather completely ignored Joey. She started walking toward Tim, causing him to continually step back. Heather continued to shout. "You lying son of a bitch! I tried to help you! We all tried to help you! We hid your issues from Clarisse! And you kept the shit anyway! Now your _sister_ is afraid and that is _your_ fault! So, stay the fuck away from me! And until we think Clarisse is safe to be around _you_ , stay the fuck away from her!"

Tim opened his mouth to offer… something. An explanation. An apology. Anything. "I'm so—"

Heather took a step forward, her hand slipping into her pocket.

Tim saw a centimeter of silver.

"Heather!" Joey shouted.

Heather stopped. After taking a few breath's through her nose, she slowly relaxed the grip on the blade and took a step back. She spoke in a whisper. "I don't ever want to see you near my house again."

Tim turned away and nodded. "You won't," he whispered, once again barely believing that he could feel worse than he already did. "You won't. I promise."

Tim grabbed the bag and walked toward the nearest section of the Wall. After a few seconds of pacing, Tim climbed the ladder and looked at the bag for half a second. Tim shook his head in frustration and screamed in anger before throwing the bag over the Wall.

After a minute, Tim sighed and felt a small release of tension. He looked to his right and saw Marcus sitting on the Wall, a rifle propped up next to him. The older man wore his usual brown jacket and jeans.

"Sorry," Tim said lamely.

Marcus shrugged. "We all have our demons."

Tim took yet another deep breath.

"Do yourself a favor," Marcus said to Tim. "Listen when you come to the Foundation tonight. What Ellie set up… it works if you listen."

Tim nodded and pointed over the Wall. "Don't let anybody bring that bag back in here."

 ** _…_**

Matthew stood up from the table as Joel reentered the house.

Joel nodded in greeting and threw aside his jacket.

"How are the shifts going?" Matthew asked.

"They're covered," Joel said. He sat down across from Matthew, who remained standing.

"Thanks," Matthew said. He lowered his voice. "Sorry. I just don't want to leave Clarisse alone tonight."

Joel lowered his voice as well. "Has she said anything?"

Matthew shook his head. "Clarisse is pretending she's asleep."

"How do you know she isn't asleep?" Joel asked.

"Would you be asleep?" Matthew countered.

"I wouldn't be resting," Joel admitted. However, he seemed to notice Matthew restlessness. "Why don't you take a few. I mean, you've been up for what, fifteen hours?"

Matthew sighed and turned to the sink, grabbing a dirty plate.

"You think Tim's going to come here drunk?" Joel asked cautiously. "Is that why you're sticking around?"

"I more afraid of what _I'm_ going to do if I leave," Matthew said placing the plate on the counter harder than intended.

Joel nodded. "Well, right now I guess we wait."

Matthew turned and sat down at the table. He ran a hand through his hair. "I um… I may have put you in an awkward position, sir. I told Tim that we were taking Clarisse and… and keeping her until this situation gets figured out."

Joel leaned forward. "You didn't do anything wrong, kid. You know how I feel when it comes to protecting the people I care about."

Matthew hesitated before replying. "How am I different?"

"Excuse me?" Joel asked, raising the eyebrow.

"How am I different than Tim?" Matthew asked. He sighed. "I almost killed Ellie that night near the military docks."

"You know damn well that was different," Joel said, almost sternly. "Those were different circumstances."

"Were they?" Matthew asked.

"Yeah," Joel said. He sighed. "You think this is your fault?"

"No," Matthew said quickly. He couldn't look at Joel. "Maybe. I don't know anymore. Ellie asked me the same thing last time something like this happened and I told her that Tim is in control of his own actions."

"And he is," Joel said, leaning back. "The reality is that Tim _chose_ to pick up the bottle. You never _chose_ to hurt Ellie."

"I guess," Matthew said. He took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright… Your right. We wait. Have there been plans made for Jeff's funeral?"

"It's tomorrow at noon," Joel answered.

"Good," Matthew said, picking up an apple from the bowl on the table.

As Matthew was about to take a bite, he froze, looking at the fruit in his hand.

"You okay?" Joel asked.

"The last thing Jeff did when I saw him was give me an apple," Matthew said. He put a hand to his face as a tear began to well up in his eye. "A damn apple."

"I'll give you minute," Joel said softly. He stood and exited the room.

Matthew allowed the emotion to enter as he turned around to face the window.

 ** _…_**

Ellie walked into the Foundation a half hour before the meeting started. She started grabbing stools off the bar and setting them in a large circle.

Ellie tried to grab two at once and one tumbled to the ground.

"Dammit," Ellie spat.

Marcus walked through the door. He set aside a bag he was holding and picked up the fallen chair.

"Thanks," Ellie said, moving away from the bar.

"I didn't think you'd be here," Marcus said as he set the chair in the circle.

Ellie straightened one of the chairs. "I just had to drop some stuff off at home."

"You know that you don't have to be here," Marcus said gently, grabbing another chair.

"Actually, I do," Ellie said. She sat down. "I really do. I've spent the last few hours just sitting around and…"

"Grieving?" Marcus guessed.

"And then some," Ellie grumbled. She stood. "You gonna stick around?"

"Might as well," Marcus said with a shrug. "It couldn't hurt to have a second hand."

"And I thought you hated me," Ellie said lightly, taking off her coat and pulling out her hair brush. "Don't you have a date with your wife tonight?"

"Change of plans," Marcus said, taking off his own coat. "Besides, my wife never complains when I mention your name."

Ellie smiled. " _She_ always liked me."

Marcus grunted in amusement. "I won't say _I_ didn't hate you that first day."

"And now?" Ellie asked.

"Depends on if I'm helping you or if you're helping me."

"Fair enough," Ellie said.

Marcus grabbed the broom and swept the floor. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure," Ellie said as climbed on a chair to dust an overhead light. "Can you spot me?"

Marcus stood next to Ellie as she stood on one leg to reach the next light. "When you do these meetings," he started. "Do you plan what you're going to say or do you just improvise?

"Yes," Ellie answered. She jumped down.

Marcus chuckled. "You're about as straight with your answers as your old man."

Ellie shrugged.

Marcus picked up the bag. "Your friend, Tim, threw this over the Wall today."

"So?" Ellie said sharply, knowing what was in the bag.

"So, I'm guessing that's significant."

"We'll see," Ellie replied, refusing to let her frustration to take control.

"Is that why you're here?" Marcus asked. "For him?"

"I've told him that I am not his friend when he's here," Ellie said firmly. She sighed. "Do me a favor. Let's drop the conversation. This is hard enough as it is."

"If he shows, it means he's going to listen," Marcus commented.

Ellie didn't reply.

They finished picking up the bar.

"You want to do the talking this time?" Ellie asked Marcus as somebody walked through the door.

"I'll let the master do her work," Marcus replied.

Ellie chuckled.

 ** _…_**

Tim showed up to the Foundation ten minutes later and walked inside. He looked around, realizing that this was the same place that Matthew had brought him to when he'd blacked out three years before. _A bar. Figures._

Tim took a deep breath and walked toward the circle of chairs that were starting to fill up with people. Remembering Ellie's words, Tim chose not to greet her and sat down on the far side of the circle opposite of where Ellie would sit.

Tim looked around and counted fourteen other people, not including Marcus and Ellie. He looked at the floor as the conversation gradually died down.

Tim felt the mood change slightly. It soon matched what he'd felt inside him for… _hours? Years._

Tim curled and uncurled his fists as he felt the sudden need for a— SLAP.

Tim hit the side of his own head with his hand as hard as he could, hoping to get rid of the desire for alcohol. He glanced up and saw a few people looking at him curiously. Tim blushed and started rubbing his face.

"Finally," Marcus said so everyone could hear. "That damn fly really needed to die."

A few people chuckled and everyone looked away.

Tim gave Marcus an appreciative nod and glanced at Ellie who was looking through a pile of paper's she'd brought out from the bar's office.

"Okay," Ellie finally said, stashing the papers back behind the bar. She sat down in the empty chair and looked around the circle of attendees. She lowered her voice, speaking gently. "Um… I'm sure you all heard about what happened. Our friend, Jeff, was killed defending Jackson this morning."

There was a moment of silence and everyone bowed their head.

Ellie continued as Tim heard a small amount of sadness in her voice. "I just wanted to let everyone know that, as always, if you think anybody needs to talk or a shoulder to cry on, they can come to a meeting anytime. If not, they know where I live and who I live with. There's no work hours here. Anyone needs anything, I'm available."

There were a few nods of and mumbles of affirmations and thanks.

"Good," Ellie said. She took another breath.

Tim looked around the group again.

"I see we have a few new faces here," Ellie continued in a lighter tone. "The way Marcus and I have been able to make this work for the last couple years is we try to 'sandwich' it. The way the 'sandwich' works is we start with some positives or good feelings that happened after the last meeting. Then something bad, reoccurrences or annoyances, and then something good."

"If there is anything good," Marcus mumbled.

Ellie flicked the side of his head with a finger, causing another couple of chuckles around the group.

Tim noticed others relaxing slightly. He tried to relax himself but couldn't.

"Any volunteers?" Ellie asked lightly.

There were a few seconds of silence before Patty, a woman with short raven hair wearing a black shirt and jeans, raised her hand.

"Watcha got, Patty?" Ellie asked.

Tim listened politely as more people started to speak. As they continued, however, he felt alone. _Everybody here is so much… further along than me._

"Tim," Ellie said in a tone that seemed polite, but Tim knew to translate as sharp. "You got something?"

Tim gulped as he realized it was his turn. He took a deep breath.

"I'm…" Tim averted his eyes, still unable to meet Ellie's gaze. "I'm here… because I'm lost. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm really not sure where to begin."

"Start at the beginning," Marcus advised, exchanging a look with Ellie. "There's no time limit here."

"Okay," Tim said. He scratched the back of his head. "I grew up outside Jackson with my parents and my sister. It worked for a while but, well, it couldn't work forever. My mom and dad didn't make it and then it was just me and my sister."

Tim took another breath and forced himself to look up. "After they… well, it's my responsibility to look after my sister. I had help…" Tim glanced at Ellie, who's expression was unreadable. He cleared his throat and forced himself to continue. "I was given a chance to get my sister to Jackson. One day, there were Infected around so I made my sister hide in the truck we'd been… And a man appeared. I pointed my gun at him but couldn't shoot. He kept coming."

The entire room was silent. Nobody interrupted.

Tim looked down at his open hands and could practically see the blood that had once coated them. He curled his hands into fists. "I killed him. I don't know what he was going to do. Maybe if he'd seen Clarisse he'd have stopped, but—"

"You protect your family," someone in the circle said. "No matter what."

A few people in the group nodded and verbally agreed.

Even Ellie nodded slightly.

Tim shook his head and forced himself to keep talking. "After I got here, to Jackson… I was hoping that it would stop. It didn't. Then I was given… I _chose_ to drink. I _chose_ to get drunk. And after my friends, people I look up to, tried to help me… I _chose_ to lie and keep it. I didn't drink it. But I didn't know how to get rid of it."

Tim looked at Ellie and saw a flash of anger, then a flash of empathy, and then, once again, an unreadable expression.

The looks were too much for Tim. He shuddered slightly before continuing. Sadness, anger, and regret entered his voice. "I _chose_ to get drunk today and I… I scared my sister. I _fucking_ scared her. I was the one person she didn't ever have to be scared of and I… I don't know what to do next. All I know is that I can't do it again. My sister… she doesn't deserve a person like me. She deserves… better."

There were a few seconds of silence as Tim attempted to compose himself.

Some of those in the circle were staring at the floor. Others were looking at him.

Tim forced himself to keep his head up.

Marcus made eye contact with Ellie.

Ellie was the first to speak. "Knowing what you _can't_ do is only the first step. The next step is knowing what you _need_ to do."

"Whatever it takes, I need to do it," Tim said. It was the most certain he'd felt since entering the bar. "I will do it."

"In the end, that's up to you," Ellie said. She looked Tim in the eye. "Anything else?"

Tim knew it was a test. _Now's not the time to talk to her._ "No," he answered quietly.

 ** _…_**

Matthew sat at the kitchen table, cleaning is crossbow and assembling more arrows. The sun had long since set.

Matthew glanced at Joel who was dozing on the couch.

"Matthew?"

Matthew looked up, surprised that he hadn't noticed Clarisse exiting the bedroom.

Matthew set aside the arrow he was holding. "What's up?" he asked kindly.

Clarisse looked down for a moment. When she looked up, tears were filling her eyes. "What did I do wrong?"

Matthew reached for her. "Clarisse…"

"What did I do?" Clarisse asked, taking a step back. "Tim's mad at me. He said he did something for me. I don't understand what I did to make him mad—"

"Honey," Matthew said reaching forward again and grabbing Clarisse's hands. "Honey, come here."

"Tell me what I did!" Clarisse said loudly. "I can fix it. I can change. But I need to know what I did!"

"It's not you," Matthew said gently. He moved her a little bit closer and cupped her face in his hands. "It's not you."

"Then what is it?" Clarisse choked.

"Your brother had to make some hard choices when you two were out there," Matthew said softly. He moved his hands to her shoulders. " _He_ had to make those choices. They may have been made for your safety. But that doesn't make them your choices, your consequences, or your fault. Okay?"

Clarisse sniffled and slowly nodded. "Okay. But… what can I do?"

Matthew gulped and picked her up into his arms. "Nothing, honey. I promise that Ellie and I will try and help Tim through this. But in the end, your brother has to work some things out for himself."

"Does that mean I can't be with Timmy anymore?" Clarisse asked. She sniffled again. "I don't want him to be mad at me. I don't want to be alone."

"Your brother is not mad at you," Matthew said softly, setting Clarisse on a chair. He knelt to eye level and tried to sound calming. "I think he's mad at himself right now. And remember that you are _never_ alone."

Clarisse took several deep breaths.

Matthew wiped a tear from her eye. "If you ever need to talk…"

"I know," Clarisse said.

There was knock on the front door.

Matthew placed hand on her shoulder and moved to the door. He opened it and found Lei standing with a hand on Lin's shoulder. Both were dressed in dark green t-shirts and black jeans.

Lin was attempting to peek around Matthew.

"I'm sorry for bothering you at dinner," Lei said.

"It's no problem, sir," Matthew said, hoping the emotion he felt wasn't evident in his voice. He waved a hand behind him. "We haven't eaten yet anyway. How can I help you?"

"I know it's been a rough day," Lei said slowly. "And we heard about… well we heard that Clarisse was staying here. Lin has been begging me to bring her over. I told her—"

"Lin!"

Clarisse ran past Matthew and threw herself around her friend.

Lin didn't hesitate in hugging Clarisse back.

Matthew and Lei smiled as Clarisse let go.

Matthew placed a hand on Clarisse's shoulder. "I think we could use some company right about now," he said, glancing at the little girl. "What do you think?"

Clarisse smiled and grabbed Lin's hand. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Lin said, grabbing Clarisse's hands with her own. "Can I see the picture you were working on?"

Clarisse smiled and ran to Ellie's room with Lin.

"Something tells me this is going to turn into a sleepover," Lei said.

"The spare room's yours if you want it," Matthew offered.

"No," Lei said after a moment. "I think Lin need's it."

"I think they both need it," Matthew agreed.

"I'll bring some spare clothes over for her," Lei said. "And I'll pick her up tomorrow morning."

"Sounds good," Matthew said. "Thanks for coming by."

"Always a pleasure."

Matthew waited until Lei left and walked back toward the kitchen, stopping by the couch.

Joel lay on the couch, his eyes still close.

"I have no idea what to say to that kid," Matthew said quietly, looking at the bedroom door.

"You're doing fine, kid," Joel said, his eyes still closed.

Matthew stood there for a moment before shrugging. "I think I should get dinner started."

 ** _…_**

Tim walked out of the Foundation. Clouds were forming overhead. They started to cover the starry sky. He clenched and unclenched his fists. _I want a beer…_

Tim tore his gaze away from the sky as Ellie and Marcus exited the building a few seconds later. Marcus nodded at Tim and said goodbye to Ellie before walking down the street.

Ellie looked past Tim and nodded.

Tim turned and saw Heather standing there with folded arms.

Tim turned back to Ellie, who threw the bag of alcohol at Tim's feet.

Tim was tempted by the bag but stayed where he was. "I told Marcus not to bring that back here," he said.

"Marcus did exactly what I would have done," Ellie said coolly. "Did you think that throwing it out of Jackson was going to magically solve your problem?"

"No," Tim answered with a shake of his head. "I just needed it gone."

Ellie pointed to the bag. "Do it again."

Tim opened his mouth to reply when a woman Ellie's age walked forward.

Ellie turned to greet her. "Hey Vanessa," she said, the coolness in her voice gone.

Vanessa opened her mouth to speak, then closed it.

Ellie reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You okay?"

Vanessa looked down. "I… I was dating Jeffery."

"Oh," Ellie said, clearly surprised.

"We didn't want to tell anyone yet," Vanessa said, averting her eyes as they teared up. "I…"

"Why don't you come inside," Ellie offered gently.

Ellie put a hand around Vanessa's shoulder and brought her back into the bar.

Tim looked at the ground as guilt started to fill him. _I'm worrying about a Goddamn drink while Vanessa just lost…_

Tim reached down and grabbed the bag. He once again walked to the nearest section of the Wall and threw the bag over without hesitation. Feeling a small release of tension again, Tim turned and walked back to bar.

Heather was still standing across the street, waiting patiently.

As Tim turned toward her, Heather held up a hand. "Don't," she said sharply. "I'm here to walk Ellie home and give _her_ a shoulder. Not you."

Tim nodded. "I understand. Just… make sure Joey's not alone with this."

"He's stronger than you think," Heather replied.

"I don't disagree," Tim said, stepping back. He looked Heather in the eye. "I haven't disagreed with anything people have said to me today."

Heather opened her mouth to reply, then closed it.

Tim turned and walked away.

"Jeff's funeral is tomorrow at noon," Heather called as Tim stopped. "We all expect you to be there."

"I will be," Tim promised.

Tim started walking past the bar and stopped again, glancing through the window.

Ellie was embracing a now openly crying Vanessa.

Tim kept walking, forcing himself not to look back.

Upon reaching the house, Tim froze. _This is going to be a long night._

Tim opened the door, walked into Clarisse's room and sat on her bed, feeling as if the walls and ceiling were starting to close in. Tim shut his eyes. _It's going to be a long fucking night._

 ** _…_**

Matthew walked down the hallway.

The light in Ellie's room was still on but there were no voices.

Matthew quietly pushed the door open. He smiled as he saw the Clarisse and Lin asleep on the bed with their hands intertwined, sharing headphones that were attached to Ellie's Walkman.

Matthew felt an arm wrap around his waist.

"Usually it's Joel hovering outside our room," Ellie said, resting her head on Matthew's shoulder.

"This is probably the most relaxed I've seen Clarisse today," Matthew said. He turned and wiped dried tears from Ellie's face. "Long meeting?"

"Yeah," Ellie said, grabbing his hand and walking them into the living room. "Just a long day in general."

"That's an understatement," Matthew said, laying on the couch.

Ellie laid down on top of him, the back of her head resting on Matthew's shoulder. She closed her eyes. "What are we going to do?" she asked.

"What we can," Matthew said, leaning up and kissing the top of her head.

"I thought we already did that," Ellie said.

"We did what we could for Tim. Now we need to do what we can for Clarisse," Matthew said firmly.

"Keeping her from him," Ellie said quietly. "She could end up hating us for it."

"She could," Matthew said simply. "But we'll hate ourselves more if she gets hurt."

"I guess," Ellie said. She grabbed Matthew's hand. "Have you talked to her about staying with us?"

"No," Matthew said, squeezing the hand.

"We'll have to tomorrow," Ellie said with no small amount of apprehension.

"Well," Matthew said, closing his eyes. "That's tomorrow. Let's just see what happens when tomorrow comes."

"That's a good idea…" Ellie said, already drifting off to sleep.

 ** _…_**

Tim finally sat up as the sun was rising. He hadn't gotten any sleep.

After a few seconds, Tim wiped away his dried tears, finally knowing what he had to do.

Tim made Clarisse's bed and went into his room, grabbing a nicer, fresh pair of dark black pants and a black t-shirt.

Tim stared at his tired eyes in the mirror before exiting the house and taking a jog around Jackson. He made sure to avoid any of Heather's routes and Ellie's house. When he couldn't run anymore, he walked, always thinking about what he had to do.

He had to do what was best for Clarisse.

In the end, Tim arrived at the funeral two hours early. He cleared the area of leaves branches as best he could. Tim glanced at the sun and realized that he still had over an hour before the funeral started. Tim sat against a tree and closed his eyes to doze.

 ** _…_**

Ellie knelt and looked Clarisse in the eye.

Matthew stood over them.

Both Ellie and Matthew were dressed in black t-shirts and jeans. Ellie was wearing her usual black sleeves over both her arms.

"We'll be back in a few hours," Ellie promised. "You can hold down the fort, right?"

Clarisse nodded and started to pet Winston. She was wearing a nice purple dress and blue pants underneath.

"Can I see Timmy, later?" Clarisse asked hopefully.

Ellie looked up at Matthew.

"We'll see," Matthew replied kindly.

 ** _…_**

Tim moved to the top of the small hill a short distance away from where Jeff would be buried and leaned against a tree.

From his position, Tim could see everyone in attendance. He was both saddened and relieved not to see Clarisse.

Tim saw that Joey and Heather, along with everyone else, was wearing darker outfits. Heather wore a black t-shirt and jeans. Joey wore a dark blue shirt and black jeans.

A short time later, everyone started to unconsciously form a few rows as Jeff's body was carried and gently placed into a freshly dug grave.

Everyone remained silent as Maria and Tommy said a small prayer.

Joel joined them in burying Jeff as the large group watched.

Once, Joey glanced over his shoulder and nodded at Tim.

Tim nodded back but made no attempt to move.

Vanessa slowly walked to the head of the group.

"I've known Jeffery since he first got here," Vanessa said, clearly trying to choke back tears. "At first, I thought he was an obnoxious jerk. To his credit, it's something he eventually admitted to himself."

Her words were received with few chuckles before silence fell again.

Tim looked up as a small ray of sunlight filtered through the clouds above.

"Two months ago, we started dating," Vanessa said with a smile. "One night, we were stuck together on a shift and we just started… talking. And I wondered 'who the hell is this guy'?"

 ** _…_**

Tim couldn't help but smile sadly as he remembered having the same thought about Jeff as well in recent weeks.

Vanessa continued. "Finally, I just asked him. Jeffery didn't answer at first. Eventually he said, 'I'm who I've always wanted to be, but never known how.' Then he told me about how he was, quite literally, thrown on his ass."

Tim glanced at Ellie, who slipped a hand around Matthew's shoulder.

"He said it was the second-best thing that ever happened to him," Vanessa said. She shuddered and put her hand to her mouth and sighed. "I'm sorry. Then… Jeffery started talking about the people in Jackson who were able to accept his flaws and… they were able to see the best parts of him and help him be better."

Vanessa took a deep breath and looked at the sun that had now fully emerged from behind the clouds.

Vanessa smiled again. "Because of them, Jeffery said that 'with their support, I was able to see who I wanted to be. I wanted to be a better person'."

Vanessa placed her hand over her mouth again. Tears fell from her eyes as she continued. "And I think he was a good person. He became who he wanted to be."

Vanessa looked at the mound of dirt under which Jeff lay. "I'd like to think there's a lesson in that," she said through more tears.

Tim could have sworn she looked at Ellie.

"No matter where you come from or who you were out there… what you had to be out there," Vanessa continued. "Here, in Jackson, you can choose to become and be a better person. Even if it takes others to look beyond your own flaws before you can do it yourself."

Tim looked away as a tear fell from his eye. He looked up to see Ellie and Matthew exchange thoughtful looks before looking in his direction.

Vanessa smiled sadly. "I think he'd want to thank everyone here for giving him the chance to become a better person. For helping turn him into a better person. So, I'm going to say it for him. Thank you."

Tim took a deep breath as he watched Vanessa step down and give Ellie a hug.

Vanessa moved to Joey and gave him a hug as well.

From his position, Tim could see Joey shaking.

Heather placed a hand on Joey's shoulder, giving it a squeeze.

As the crowd slowly dispersed, Tim made his way down the hill.

The group of people who may never call him a friend again mingled together near Jeff's grave, all wearing dark shirts, jackets, and jeans.

Tim stopped a short distance away, attempting to figure out how to talk to them.

Heather glanced up at Tim from next to Joey, making eye-contact.

Heather finally moved to the side, making room for Tim.

"Ellie," Joey was saying quietly. "The nightmares… about what happened to Jeff. That's normal, right?"

"Yeah," Ellie said, placing a hand on his other shoulder. "Completely."

"And the nightmares about… what I did to the other guy?" Joey asked. "When I shot him."

"Those are normal too," Matthew told him calmly.

"Good," Joey said with a nod. "Then I'm good. I uh… I need to go for a walk. Alone."

"We'll see you at dinner," Ellie said.

"Joey," Tim said quickly, drawing all eyes to him. "Could you stay a sec?"

Joey stopped next to Heather.

Tim gulped. "I… I need your guys' help."

There was a brief silence as everyone exchanged glances.

Ellie sighed. "Tim…" she started, somewhat gently. "We know your trying. But…"

"You're running a little short on favors owed," Heather said bluntly.

"It's about Clarisse," Tim said.

There was another silence before Matthew unfolded his arms. "What is it, Tim?"

 ** _…_**

Clarisse turned as she heard Ellie's voice.

Ellie was walking down the street with Matthew and Joel.

Clarisse looked down and kicked a rock when she realized Tim wasn't with them.

"You didn't want to hang out with Lin anymore?" Ellie asked.

Clarisse shook her head.

Ellie put a hand on her head. "Let's get some food in you, kiddo."

They walked into the house and Clarisse once again shut herself in the bedroom.

"I'll talk to her," Matthew said.

Ellie smiled sadly as Matthew entered the bedroom.

"It can't be easy," Joel said from behind her. "For anyone."

"It's not," Ellie admitted. She threw her coat onto the couch. "But we do what we can, right?"

"Any clue where this is going from here?" Joel asked as they moved into the kitchen.

Ellie glanced at the hallway leading to her bedroom. "Tim's made a decision. He says it's for Clarisse and I believe him."

"And?"

"And I invited him to dinner," Ellie said. "Tim wanted Clarisse to hear it from him."

"Whatever it is," Joel said. "I'm onboard."

Ellie smiled. "Thanks for the support. We kinda need it right now."

 ** _…_**

Tim walked into his house and started cleaning.

"Need help?"

Tim turned quickly and saw Heather and Joey standing in the room behind him.

Tim looked between them. "Neither of you owe me anything."

"We know," Heather said. "But with what your about to do, you shouldn't be alone."

"I just need to be occupied," Joey said with a shrug.

"I was going to start with her room," Tim said.

"Let's go then," Heather said.

"I'll get the stuff from outside," Joey said, exiting the house.

Tim turned and led Heather into Clarisse's bedroom.

"That's a lot of stuff," Heather commented.

"Yeah," Tim said. "It's a lot."

"For what it's worth," Heather said gently. "I think you're doing the right thing."

Tim grabbed Clarisse's clothes and started to fold them. He folded her favorite shirt and sighed, sitting on the bed. "Is this it?" he asked, looking around. "Is this all I can do?"

"It's a good start," Heather said kindly, grabbing a shirt to fold.

 ** _…_**

Tim, Heather, and Joey all arrived at Ellie, Matthew, and Joel's for dinner a half hour early.

Tim knocked on the door and was immediately greeted by Clarisse who flung her arms around him. Tim knelt and hugged her tightly as he could, making what he had to tell her by the end of the night all that much harder.

Before Tim could say a word, Clarisse grabbed his hand and ran into the house. She spent the next half hour showing him all the different pictures that she'd worked on during the last two days.

"What's that one," Tim finally asked, pointing at a piece of paper that was mostly concealed by one of the pillows on the bed.

"I'm not ready to show anyone yet," Clarisse said.

"Dinner's almost ready," Ellie called.

 ** _…_**

Matthew and Joel were busy prepping in the kitchen when Tim led Clarisse to the living room and sat her down on the couch.

Tim walked into the kitchen a few seconds later.

"You didn't tell her yet," Matthew assumed, glancing at the smiling girl on the couch.

"No," Tim said. He sighed. "I will. I was just going to wait after dinner. Let her be happy for a while."

Matthew set down the knife he was using to cut fruit and placed a hand on Tim's shoulder. "I think you're doing the right thing," Matthew said quietly. "But it needs to be done now. The longer you wait, the more it will hurt. For both of you."

"You're right," Tim said after a few seconds of silence. "Your right. I should do it now."

Matthew watched Tim return to Clarisse and lead her outside.

Matthew returned to cutting up the fruit.

"Feeling a little déjà vu?" Joel asked, grabbing a fruit. "I seem to remember you and I—"

"I remember," Matthew interrupted, sharper than intended. He sighed. "Sorry. Let's just say that I've had better occurrences of déjà vu than this."

"I think Tim's doing the right thing," Joel said calmly. "Just like you once did."

"The difference is that Tim's planning to stick around in the long run," Matthew said, throwing the fruit into a bowl. "I wasn't."

"The kid's willing to do what he has to in order to protect his sister, despite how hard it's going to be on him," Joel grunted. "I wonder who taught him he had the strength to do that."

"Ellie's the one who opened and runs the Foundation," Matthew argued. "She told him to come to Jackson in the first place."

"Ellie showed him where Jackson was," Joel said. He grabbed the bowl of fruit from Matthew's hand. "But she wasn't the only one who gave him the tools to get here."

Joel walked away before Matthew could reply.

 ** _…_**

Tim brought Clarisse outside.

"I want to play 'Hide and Seek' when we get home," Clarisse said. "We haven't played 'Hide and Seek' in a long time."

"Clarisse," Tim said. He took a deep breath to prepare himself. "We can't."

"We don't have to do it tonight," Clarisse said. "We can—"

"Clarisse," Tim said again. He knelt and gently grabbed her hands. "You can't come home with me tonight."

Clarisse's took a step back, confused. "Can I come home tomorrow?"

Tim shook his head. "I need you to listen. You can't… I can't have you living with me anymore."

Clarisse looked behind Tim at the bags that he, Heather, and Joey had set next to the front door. She took another step back, her hands sliding from Tim's grip.

Despite the lump in his throat, Tim continued. "Yesterday, I lost control and I scared you. I almost hurt you. I can't let you be near me when I'm… when I go bad."

"I want to go home," Clarisse whispered.

"You can't," Tim said. He attempted to sound optimistic. "Look, it'll be fun. You're going to have lots of sleepovers. I've talked to Ellie and Matthew, Heather, Joey, even Lin and her dad said they would love to have you stay with them for a while."

"I don't want to have sleepovers!" Clarisse shouted, running at him and swinging her fists. "I want to go home!"

 ** _…_**

Heather looked at Ellie as the other woman stood by the closed front door.

They heard Clarisse start to scream.

Matthew stood, placed a hand on Ellie's shoulder, and whispered something in her ear.

Ellie nodded and grabbed his hand, squeezing tightly.

Heather looked at Joey who was sitting in a chair, staring at the floor.

"You haven't talked much today," Heather observed.

"Not much I want to talk about," Joey said.

"I'm up for it if you are," Heather promised.

Joey opened his mouth to respond but shrugged. "Maybe later."

 ** _…_**

Tim took every punch thrown, pulling Clarisse into his arms. After several more punches, Clarisse collapsed, sobbing into his shoulder.

"You're going away," Clarisse whispered. She sobbed. "You're going away just like mom and dad."

"No, no, no," Tim said, slowly letting her go. He cupped Clarisse's face in his hands. "I'm not leaving you. I would never do that, do you understand? We're family. We stick together. No matter what. But right now, I need to stop going bad. And if I mess up, I don't want you to get hurt."

"I want to help," Clarisse said as a tear rolled down her face and onto Tim's hand.

"And I love you for that," Tim said gently. "But right now, the best way to help me is stay with the people who love you just as much as I do."

Clarisse looked down again.

Tim wiped a tear away from Clarisse's eye with his thumb. "I know this is hard. Trust me, I know. But right now, it's what I have to do. This is the best way that you can help me. But I am _not_ going away. I will still see you every day."

"Every day?" Clarisse sniffled.

"Yes," Tim said as a tear rolled down his own cheek. "Every. Single. Day."

"Even school days?" Clarisse asked.

"Especially school days," Tim said with a small laugh. "I will see you every afternoon for lunch at your school and every night for dinner. I will still help you with all your homework and be wherever you are to say goodnight. Okay?"

Clarisse took several deep breaths. "Okay."

"Good," Tim said.

They embraced.

Tim took a deep breath of his own and held Clarisse at arm's length. "Now, how about we go have that dinner? I think it smells great."

"Okay," Clarisse said again, more optimistically.

Tim grabbed his sister's hand and brought her inside.

After sitting down at the couch again, Tim felt a pressure on his shoulder and saw Matthew standing over him.

They exchanged nods as the rest of the guests gathered around them.

As the night wore on, Tim felt himself relax. He felt happier than he had in two days. The lump in his throat went away and he was able to see what he couldn't for years. _I'm not alone._

Hours later, when the moon was high in the sky and the dishes were all clean, Tim stood and hauled Clarisse into his arms.

"I think it's time for both of us to sleep," Tim whispered in her ear.

"I'm not tired," Clarisse said with a yawn.

"You were never good at lying to me," Tim observed.

"Can I show you something, first?" Clarisse asked.

"Yeah," Tim said. He looked at Ellie and Matthew, who were now sitting together on the couch. "What room is she sleeping in?"

"She can have our room," Ellie said.

"We'll get the spare room upstairs set up for her tomorrow," Matthew added.

"I think I'll be heading out," Heather said, standing and stretching. "The cat hasn't eaten all day."

"I think I'll head home too," Joey said, standing.

Tim and Heather exchanged glances, realizing that this was the first Joey had really spoken in hours.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Joey finished.

Tim shook hands with Joey.

Heather walked forward and placed her arms around Tim and Clarisse.

"You're doing the right thing," she whispered in Tim's ear.

"I know," Tim said just as quietly.

Joey and Heather exited the house.

 ** _…_**

"Goodnight," Heather said to Joey, turning to walk down the street. She stopped when she realized the young man was still standing in the middle of the street. "You okay?"

"Can I walk you home?" Joey asked after a moment.

Heather glanced at his house, confused. "That's a little out of your way, don't you think?"

"I just… don't feel like going home right now," Joey said with a shrug.

"Sure," Heather said as she and Joey started walking down the street together. "I'll walk you to my home."

 ** _…_**

Tim walked into the bedroom and set Clarisse on the bed.

Clarisse reached under the pillow and pulled out a drawing. "This is what I wanted to show you."

Tim laid the drawing out on the bed.

Clarisse crawled to the end of the bed so she could look at it.

Tim knelt so he was at shoulder level with Clarisse. "Clarisse, it's…"

"It's our family," Clarisse said.

Tim continued to examine the picture.

It was drawn in extensive detail and all in pencil. The drawing itself had two rows. The first contained drawings of Joel, Tommy, and Maria from the neck up. The second row was made up of the people that Tim had come to care most about.

Standing side-by-side and drawn from the waist up was Matthew, Ellie, Tim, Joey, and Heather. In the middle of the group, Clarisse was sitting atop Tim's shoulders. All of them were smiling broadly, wearing t-shirts. Their eyes were deep and detailed.

Matthew had an arm wrapped around Ellie's shoulder. His hand rested on Tim's shoulder. Ellie wore her hair down and her necklace showed proudly. Her hand was resting on Clarisse's shoulder.

Tim had both hands holding onto Clarisse's dangling legs. Clarisse was resting her chin on her arms, which were lying on top Tim's head. Her head was tipped mischievously to the side.

Joey had a hand on Tim's other shoulder. Heather stood at the end, her shoulder touching lightly with Joey's. Her hand reached behind the group and rested on Clarisse's other shoulder.

"Do you like it?" Clarisse asked.

"This is amazing," Tim said genuinely. He turned to Clarisse and touched her lightly on the tip of the nose. "You, my little sister, have got to start showing off some of these drawings."

"I don't think they're that good," Clarisse said sadly. "I can't quite get the eyes right."

"The eyes are fine," Tim said with a laugh. "Seriously, you should see if Heather can boot up that copier machine for you."

"I want you to take it," Clarisse said quickly, picking up the paper and handing it to Tim. "Please? I really want you to have it."

Tim pulled her into his arms again and gave her a long hug. "I promise," he said with tears in his eyes. "I promise that I will get better. I will never go away. And if I do, I will always come back."

"I know," Clarisse said, hugging him tighter than ever.

 ** _…_**

Ellie and Matthew met Tim in the hallway after he tucked Clarisse in for the night.

Tim had a small tear sliding down his cheek. He was gently holding a piece of paper in his hand.

Matthew placed a hand on his shoulder.

Tim wiped the tear away. "I'm gonna head home too."

"Need company?" Matthew asked.

"No," Tim said. He slowly closed the door to the bedroom and turned to them. "If she starts having nightmares, has trouble in school, stops talking… could you let me know?"

"She's your sister," Ellie said gently. "That's not going to change, Tim."

"We'll keep you updated," Matthew agreed. "And don't worry. Everyone love's Clarisse. She'll be fine."

"Besides," Ellie said with a shrug. "If your conversation went as well as we think it did, you'll be seeing her every day as it is."

Tim nodded. "Thank you," he said gratefully. "Both of you."

"It's not a problem," Ellie said.

"It never has been," Matthew finished.

Tim turned away and stopped. "I think the hardest part of this is gonna be going to bed without her there."

"The house gets quiet at night," Ellie said sympathetically. "Doesn't it?"

"More than usual," Tim admitted.

"Well, that's easy enough to solve," Ellie said. "Anytime you need someone to take care of, call of one us and we adults can have a sleepover."

"While I appreciate the offer," Tim said with a chuckle. He looked at Matthew. "I can't take shortcuts with my problems. Not anymore."

"Then we'll see you tomorrow," Matthew said with a hint of admiration.

"And I'll see you at the meeting next week," Ellie said.

Tim nodded and folded up the paper he was holding and placed it in his pocket. "Next week," he confirmed.

 ** _…_**

Joey and Heather arrived at Heather's house and stood outside for a moment.

"Thanks for the walk," Joey said quietly.

"Anytime," Heather replied as Arata strolled forward from down the street, meowing loudly. Heather knelt and pet the cat for a moment before looking at Joey. "So, what's the real reason you wanted me alone."

"I just… I just wanted to thank you for being here for me, especially the last couple days," Joey said lamely. "It helps."

"Well, I am a doctor and you've been my patient for six years now," Heather said with a shrug. "I'm supposed to listen."

"I thought Ellie was the psychotic," Joey said.

"I think the proper word for the 'real world' would be 'psychiatrist'," Heather corrected. She smiled slightly. "But psychotic can work for her too, sometimes."

Joey smiled and chuckled.

Heather chuckled with him.

As their unanimous humor subsided, Heather looked at Joey. "It's nice to see you smiling again."

"You too," Joey said.

"So… goodnight," Heather said.

"Wait," Joey said quickly.

Heather turned to him.

"Yesterday," Joey said. He took a deep breath, turning serious. "With Tim. I saw the scalpel. You were going to—"

"I was angry and I lost control," Heather said, looking away. "I'm sorry that I let it go so far."

"Well, whatever it was," Joey said, stepping forward. "It didn't start with Tim. I think it was something else."

Heather turned away and didn't offer an explanation.

"Sorry," Joey said, taking the hint. After a few seconds, he shook his head in frustration but spoke calmly. "Well, actually, I'm not sorry, but I'll back off anyway. I'll wait until you're ready to trust me."

"I do trust you," Heather said quietly. "Just not with my past. But I do trust you."

"That's something," Joey said with a small amount of bitterness. He took a deep breath and ran a hand down his face, speaking quietly. "I'm sorry. For real. Tonight's… tonight's not the night for this. We're both tired and—"

"It's a defense mechanism," Heather interrupted, turning back to Joey. She sighed. "Out there… I lost everything I had. And more."

"And I don't have the right to press," Joey said, stepping back. "I'll wait. As long as it takes. Just… remember that you _can_ completely trust me. When you're ready."

"You may be waiting a long time," Heather warned. "What I've been through… things like this don't change."

"I understand," Joey said with a nod. "Goodnight, Heather."

"I'll see you tomorrow," Heather said. She opened the door to her house and turned. "I'll keep the radio close. In case you need to talk."

"Likewise," Joey said.


	15. Joey and Heather Part II: Trepidation

Two years following the events of "Tim and Clarisse Part II"

Joey found himself thrown to the ground by Matthew once again.

Joey shook his head and stood, wiping the sweat from his face. He wiped off his light blue jeans and brown t-shirt before looking at the hot summer sun and then around the park, making sure nobody else had seen.

"Was there a better time for us to do this?" Joey said, standing up and preparing to throw another punch. "I'm pretty sure this is the hottest day of the year."

"You're the one who wanted to go out on the next scouting trip," Matthew said calmly. Barely a drop of sweat spotted his blue t-shirt and jeans. He folded his arms. "So, no. I don't think we have much time to waste."

"That coming from the guy who's hosting a party at the Foundation," Tim said off to the side. He was perched on top of the blue jungle gym. His white t-shirt and black pants still damp from his morning run.

"Tommy asked me to keep an eye on things," Matthew corrected. "I'm not exactly a party-hoster."

Joey threw another right cross.

Matthew dodged and threw Joey to the ground.

"Dammit," Joey groaned as Tim chuckled. Joey stood and faced Matthew. "You used to be a lot slower than that."

"I was holding back," Matthew replied, still not breaking a sweat.

"I didn't want you to," Joey said.

"I was teaching you to fight people whose goal was to beat you, not kill you," Matthew explained. "The people you'll meet out there won't hold back."

"The odd of us meeting people are?" Joey asked, throwing another two punches that Matthew easily blocked.

"High enough," Tim said firmly. "Keep the guard up. Don't expose your neck."

Joey threw another punch.

Matthew caught his arm and shot up a fist that stopped a millimeter from Joey's neck.

"Like I said," Tim grunted.

"Only throw the punches you know you can connect," Matthew advised, calmly pushing Joey away. "Otherwise, your enemy can do whatever they want if they catch you off guard."

"I think I'll stick to my gun," Joey said, backing up.

"Not always an option," Tim said from the side.

"I know," Joey said. He raised his fists.

Matthew shook his head. "Don't—"

Joey charged forward and threw another punch.

Matthew sidestepped the punch and kicked Joey's legs out from under him before stepping around the younger man. "Don't look like you're preparing or your enemy can see whatever you're doing a mile away."

"So, I noticed," Joey grunted, standing up again. "You know, I miss the days when you would have gotten in trouble for beating the shit out of me."

"I think he's doing just as much damage to the ground," Tim commented.

"Not helping," Joey growled.

Joey threw another punch that Matthew was required to block. Once again, Joey hit the ground.

Matthew spoke as Joey rolled to his stomach. "Imagine what would happen to me if I let somebody else beat you up, or worse you get killed out there."

"You're scared of what my parents would do to you?" Joey asked, rising to a knee.

"Not your parents," Matthew replied, extending his hand. "Your mother."

Tim chuckled off to the side. "I'd be afraid."

Joey grabbed Matthew's outreached arm with one hand and threw a pile of dirt with the other.

Matthew was momentarily distracted, allowing Joey to stand and throw a punch. Matthew ducked under the swing and grabbed the arm before kicking Joey in the chest, sending him off his feet.

"Son of a bitch," Joey groaned, rising to his feet and facing Matthew again. "I can't even hit you when your blind."

"I've been doing this a long time," Matthew replied with a shrug. "Don't be too hard on yourself. Using the dirt was smart. Improvising will help more than it will hurt."

Tim glanced at the sun and hopped to his feet.

Joey slowly stood and accepted a water bottle that Tim offered him. "What time is it?" he asked, taking a drink.

"About three," Matthew replied, shaking his head when Joey offered him the water bottle. "You actually made a lot of progress for us only being at this for six hours."

"Doesn't feel like it," Joey grumbled, handing the water bottle to Tim as his body continued to ache. "You still haven't broken a sweat."

"If _he_ breaks a sweat, we're all in trouble," Tim said seriously. "Besides, you almost hit him a few times."

Joey looked at Matthew. "Did I?"

"Almost," Matthew replied. "You wanna call it a day?"

"I probably should," Joey said. "I told Heather I'd help her sort through some stuff at her house around six. And I need a shower."

"Gotta look good before asking her to the party tomorrow night," Tim said under his breath.

"Ellie's got you in on this too?" Joey asked. He sighed. "Well, Heather's not planning on going."

"That's why you ask," Tim mumbled.

Matthew smiled slightly off to the side. "Here we go again."

"I'm just saying," Tim said to Joey. "You two have known each other how long and you still haven't even tried?"

"You know what the difference between you and Ellie is?" Joey asked as the three men started walking out of the park. "Ellie already has someone and you don't. Therefore, you shouldn't talk."

"But I'm not interested in anyone," Tim said.

"Not even Vanessa?" Joey pressed.

There was brief silence. "Maybe _you_ need to stop hanging with Ellie," Tim said.

"I live across the street from her," Joey said simply. "It's kinda hard to do that."

"I live with her," Matthew grunted. "Think about what it's like for me."

"I saw you and Vanessa hanging out after the meeting last week," Joey said to Tim. "She seemed comfortable. Hasn't been like that with most people since Jeff died. Trust me. I've known her lot longer."

"I could say the same thing about you and Heather," Tim replied. "She hasn't seemed totally comfortable with people… since forever, actually."

Joey glanced at Matthew, who had remained relatively silent as they walked the streets of Jackson. Joey shrugged and spoke lightly. "Silent brooder over here has it easy. It seems like him and Ellie have always been connected."

"In the weirdest ways," Tim commented.

Matthew glanced at Tim.

Tim stopped walking for a moment.

"Why are you two acting weird?" Joey asked. He looked at Tim. "What do you mean 'weirdest ways'."

Tim looked at Matthew. A look of guilt crossed his face. "Matthew, I—"

"It's fine," Matthew said, holding up a hand. He looked at Joey as they continued walking. "Ellie once had a friend in Boston… a long time before I met her."

"And?" Joey pressed, still confused.

"And I'm that friend's brother," Matthew said, looking straight ahead.

Joey stopped walking. He let out a breath. "I'm going to need a lot of alcohol when you or Ellie get around to explaining that one."

Matthew didn't reply.

"Sorry," Joey said to Tim after a few seconds. "That alcohol comment was in bad taste."

"Not really," Tim said simply. "You aren't the one who had a problem."

"Has it been nice having your sister back home?" Matthew asked Tim.

"When I see her," Tim said with a shrug. "She spends a lot of time at Lin's."

"That's what you said you wanted for her," Joey pointed out.

"It is," Tim said. "Still, she used to like spending time with her brother."

"A lot can happen in two years," Matthew said. "She's not the little girl anymore."

"How old is she again?" Joey asked.

"Thirteen," Tim answered.

"Just wait 'til she start's dating," Joey teased. "Then you'll _never_ see her again."

"Or worse, she'll start living at home all of a sudden," Tim said with a shrug.

"Well I hope you like the lucky guy," Matthew said with a small smile.

"Me too," Tim said. He looked at the sky again. "Well, I should probably get to the Foundation. I promised I'd help set up for the party."

"So, are you going to talk to Vanessa or not?" Joey asked.

Tim stopped and thought for a moment. He looked at Joey and sighed. "Get Heather to the party and… I'll talk to Vanessa."

"Deal," Joey said, suddenly nervous. "You're heading up the meeting with Vanessa and Ellie tonight…"

"I'll ask," Tim said firmly, allowing a small amount of annoyance to enter his voice.

Joey smiled.

After a few seconds, Tim shook his head and smiled as well. "I'll see you tomorrow night," he said, turning to Matthew nervously. "We're cool, right?"

"We're fine," Matthew assured him.

Tim turned down a side street.

Matthew and Joey continued to walk to their houses in silence.

"Can I ask you something personal?" Joey asked Matthew as they stood between their houses.

"Shoot," Matthew said.

Joey gulped. "When did Ellie trust you? With… hard stuff?"

Matthew looked at the ground for a moment. His walkie-talkie chimed. "Matthew," a voice said. "Can you help out on the east end of the Wall for a bit? We got an animal raiding storage again."

"Yeah," Matthew answered into the walkie-talkie. He placed the device on his belt.

Joey was still standing next to him, waiting for an answer.

Matthew looked Joey in the eye as he answered. "When she was ready."

 ** _…_**

Heather continued digging through Ellie's closet and sifting through the numerous dresses.

Ellie pointed at one of the dresses. "I think that one would look good on you."

"For the last time," Heather said, slightly annoyed. "I'm not going."

Ellie shrugged. "Whatever, boring person."

"We're searching for a dress for _you_ , not me," Heather reminded her. She grabbed a pile of dresses, holding them close to her light grey t-shirt and blue jeans, and laid them out on Ellie's bed. "Where did you get all these?"

Clarisse, wearing a long black, shawl over black t-shirt and jeans, looked up from her drawing on the bed. She pointed at one of the dresses. "I saw that one at the shop a few weeks ago."

"Yeah," Ellie said. "I got most of them from there. Just not all at once."

"You get pissed at Joel or something?" Heather said, sorting through the various dresses. "Some of these are a little short… and exposing."

"I was only mad at Joel when I got a few of them," Ellie said mischievously. She started looking through the dresses. "I started collecting them after we got back."

"Why?" Heather asked.

"I just had a hope that I would have a reason to wear one someday," Ellie said with a shrug.

Clarisse put down her pencil and looked at the dresses. "Did you pick the dresses with the sleeves so you could wear them and still keep your bite covered up?"

Ellie and Heather glanced at one another. Clarisse had known about the bite for over a year now, but neither were used to her mentioning it.

"Yes," Ellie said. She sat down on the bed. "I mean most of the time, I would just wear the sleeves Matthew makes for me. But yes. I was hoping that I would eventually be able to wear something a bit more fancy."

"Why did you get the other dresses?" Clarisse asked. "The ones without the sleeves."

"Why not?" Ellie replied. She looked at the dresses on the bed. "The trick was hiding them from Joel."

"How'd you manage that?" Heather asked.

"Using the spare room," Ellie answered.

Clarisse smiled and went back to her drawing.

"So," Heather said, having sorted the dresses. She smiled at Ellie. "How much do we want to… impress tonight?"

"Let's keep it age appropriate for everyone," Ellie said, glancing at Clarisse. She looked at Heather. " _Everyone._ "

"I don't care if you talk about sex," Clarisse said, not even looking up.

"That makes things easier," Heather said lightly. She closed the bedroom door. "Okay, Ellie. So, how late do you want to be up with Matthew tomorrow night?"

"Heather!" Ellie exclaimed as Clarisse started to laugh.

"Yes, Ellie?" Heather asked innocently, earning yet another laugh from Clarisse.

"Cover your ears," Ellie said, placing both hands over Clarisse's ears.

"I already said I don't care," Clarisse groaned.

"You're awfully comfortable with this," Ellie said with mock suspicion. She flashed Heather a smile as she removed her hands. "Are there any boys we should or shouldn't know about?"

"No," Clarisse answered.

"It's okay for you to tell us," Heather said, sitting on the bed. "We won't be as mean as the boys when they find out."

"If said boy that you like behaves," Ellie added.

"Sex with a boy is not a problem," Clarisse said evasively.

"And it shouldn't be," Ellie said, ruffling Clarisse hair. "You're an attractive young—"

"Please stop," Clarisse said, brushing her hair back down.

"Fiiiine," Ellie said dramatically. She looked at the dresses. "Okay, I'm thinking… this one… or… this one."

Ellie held up two dresses. Both were long and fell below Ellie's ankles. One was purple and had thin, partially transparent sleeves leading down from the shoulders to the wrist. The other dress was red and sleeveless but was no different otherwise.

"Which one should I try?" Ellie asked.

"Purple," Heather said.

"Yeah," Clarisse said, glancing up from her drawing. "Purple seems more your color."

"The sleeves could be a problem," Ellie said glancing between the bite on her arm and the transparent sleeves on the dress. "What do you guys think?"

"Just try it with one of the thinner black sleeves that Matthew made you," Heather said.

"Oh, that's good, yeah," Ellie said, seeming to picture it in her head. "I think they're still on the couch. Do you mind."

"Sure," Heather said, standing up. She motioned to the remaining dresses. "You should probably return some of those."

"Probably," Ellie said. "I'll do it before the meeting at the Foundation tonight.

 ** _…_**

Clarisse set down her pencil as Heather exited the room and grabbed the red dress, stashing it under the blanket with a mischievous smile.

 ** _…_**

"That's my girl," Heather heard Ellie say as she reentered the room.

Ellie sat on the bed again.

Clarisse picked up a pencil.

Ellie placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at the art. "You're outside the lines a little on this one. You sure everything's okay? The move back into Tim's house going good?"

"I'm fine," Clarisse said crisply.

Heather exchanged a glance with Ellie as she handed her the sleeve.

"Clarisse," Ellie said, putting a little pressure on the young woman's shoulder. "Heather and I were thirteen once too. And trust me. When a girl says, 'I'm fine', she's not fine. If you want to talk in private, I have time after the meeting tonight. I'll even send Tim home early if you want me too."

"I don't want to talk about it at the Foundation," Clarisse said quietly. "My issues aren't big enough."

"Are they big enough for this room?" Heather asked.

Clarisse stood and closed the bedroom door again. "Timmy is good. I'm good. We're good. No crazy nightmares or anything."

"But?" Heather pressed.

"But I think he's lonely," Clarisse said.

"Well, you moving back in with him will eventually help with that," Ellie said as Clarisse returned to the bed. "But if you don't want to live there, I'm sure—"

"I do," Clarisse said quickly. "I do want to live there. I love living with Timmy, but… I think he's afraid of being close to… other people."

"People like who?" Ellie asked. She looked at Heather, who smiled sadly. Ellie grabbed the pencil that Clarisse reached for. "People like Vanessa?"

"I'm glad somebody other than me sees it," Clarisse said, looking somewhat relieved. She shook her head. "I know he likes her. He acts different… happier when she's around. And I told him I like her. He knows I like her. He's just… afraid."

Heather sat down on the bed with them, exchanging another glance with Ellie.

"I thought that the whole point of him going to the Foundation was to help him not be scared or guilty," Clarisse finished.

Ellie looked at Heather again, indicating that she was at a loss.

Heather thought for a moment and looked to Ellie for permission.

Ellie shrugged. She stood and started to undress.

Heather put a hand around Clarisse's shoulder. "Sometimes, when people like your brother spend most of their life only trusting one or two people, it's kind of hard to branch out."

"You branched out," Clarisse said.

"I didn't want to at first," Heather countered.

"Some would say you could branch out more, Heather," Ellie added as she put on her black sleeves and started to pull on the dress.

Heather looked at Ellie with a raised eyebrow.

"Shutting up," Ellie said.

"I also didn't have a sister who I wanted to watch out for," Heather said.

"You and Ellie act like sisters all the time," Clarisse said skeptically.

"And I _definitely_ have to watch out for her," Heather said with a small smile. She squeezed Clarisse's shoulder. "When Tim's ready, he'll branch out."

"What if he's never ready?" Clarisse asked.

"Then he'll just have to stick with rest of his family in that picture you made," Heather answered. "And there's nothing wrong with that, either."

"You're probably right," Clarisse said as Heather handed her a pencil. "Thanks."

"No problem," Heather said. She glanced at Ellie who was looking at herself in the mirror attached to her bedside table. "What would your rating of my 'sisterly' performance be?"

"You stuck the landing," Ellie said. She walked to the center of the room. "Alright guys, be honest. How do I look?"

"Great," Clarisse said. She stood and pulled down on the sleeves of the dress, straightening it out. "I think Matthew will like it."

"See?" Heather said, shaking out the bottom of the dress. "He'll like it. That's who you're worried about _impressing_ , right?"

"We're not coming back to this," Ellie said firmly.

There was a knock on the door.

"Who is it?" Ellie asked.

"The old guy."

Ellie took a deep breath. "You can come in, Joel."

Joel opened the door. "Hey girls. Ellie, Maria and Tommy were wondering if you wanted them to…"

Ellie suddenly looked nervous as Joel's voice trailed away when he saw her.

"How do I look?" Ellie finally asked.

Joel smiled and walked forward, grabbing her hands. "You look beautiful," he said kindly. "You'll definitely impress tomorrow night."

Heather sniggered, earning a glare from Ellie as Clarisse continued drawing.

Joel looked between them, clearly confused. He shook his head. "Anyway, Maria and Tommy were wondering if you wanted the sofa at the bar. The cushions don't match up, but it's better than sitting on the moldy couch that used to be there."

"We could use some comfortable seating," Ellie said with a shrug. "We get first dibs, right?"

"I doubt anybody's going to fight you for it," Joel said. He nodded at Clarisse and Heather. "Ladies."

Heather and Clarisse started laughing the second the Joel closed the door.

"Shut up," Ellie said with a laugh of her own. She started to take off the dress.

"I told you you'd _impress_ ," Heather said.

"Shut. Up. Heather."

 ** _…_**

Joey put on a nice blue t-shirt and clean jeans. He walked downstairs, accepting a piece of fruit from his dad.

"You do know that the party is _tomorrow_ night," his father commented, wearing a similar, but dirtier outfit. "Right?"

"Ha ha," Joey said sarcastically.

"How'd it go with Matthew, today?" his mother asked, wearing a black coat and jeans.

"Better than last time," Joey replied. "I guess I almost hit him a couple times."

"At least you're learning," Joey's father said. He looked uneasily at Maria. "We still don't like you going out there, Joey."

"It's not that I _want_ to go out there," Joey explained. "I just want to be prepared if I _need_ to. Guys younger than me spend their entire lives out there without ever feeling… safe."

Joey's mother and father exchanged proud looks.

Joey walked to the front door.

"I just find it funny how you're afraid to ask a girl out, but you're not afraid to go over the Wall," Joey's mother said under her breath.

"What was that?" Joey asked.

"Nothing," Joey's father answered. "Have fun."

Thirty minutes later, Joey watched as Heather poured a pile of papers out of a large box and onto her bed.

"Damn," Joey said. He started straightening out the papers.

"Yeah," Heather said, sitting down on the bed. "Evidently, the old man didn't keep anything organized. Some of these notes predate my time in Jackson."

Joey sat down on the bed and flipped through part of the pile. "Um… I think some of these predate _me_."

"Shit," Heather said. "Now I feel old."

"Well, you're not as old as Herb was," Joey grunted.

"Nobody is as old as Herb was," Heather replied. "He always said he'd retire when he died."

Joey shrugged. "Something tells me that old age isn't the worst way to go in this world."

"He was a good man," Heather said. "Good doctor. Anyway, thanks for helping me sort through all this."

"It's better than getting my ass handed to me by Matthew for another few hours," Joey said, grabbing half the pile.

"You _did_ volunteer," Heather reminded him. She grabbed a pile of her own. "Would you rather it was Ellie teaching you?"

"Not really, no."

They started sorting the papers, remaining silent for a couple minutes.

Joey smiled slightly and looked at Heather. "So, does this mean everyone gets to start calling you Dr. Heather?"

Heather laughed. "For the little kids, maybe. For everyone else, it's just 'Heather'."

"Well, 'just Heather'," Joey teased. "How does it feel to be Jackson's resident doctor?"

"Probably the same as it feels to be Jackson's next 'big leader'," Heather said with a sigh. "A lot of excitement wrapped in a big ball of nervousness."

"Sounds about right," Joey said.

They continued sorting in silence until a large pile of papers on the edge of the bed started to slide down.

Joey and Heather reached out at the same time and stopped the moving pile.

"Nice catch," Heather said, her hand resting on Joey's. After a few seconds, she moved the hand.

"Why can't I be that fast when I'm training with Matthew?" Joey groaned.

"Maybe you haven't had incentive to go that fast yet," Heather said, resuming her sorting.

Joey shrugged and grabbed more papers from the center of the bed. "So, Matthew said you weren't planning on coming to the party tomorrow night."

"No," Heather said with a shrug. "I have my first new patient on Monday and I should really study up on this stuff. I'm going from about six to however many patients. I figure I'll need the time to get it all figured out."

"That's a lot of explanation," Joey commented as he placed a paper on the bed. "You could just say parties aren't your thing."

Heather sorted another few papers before answering. "Maybe I don't feel like going because there's a lot of alcohol involved," she said. She took a deep breath. "And with alcohol comes drunk people, and with drunk people comes a lot of… 'ugh' stuff."

Joey nodded, not asking for further explanation. "No chance of changing your mind, huh?"

"Not unless you can give me a good reason," Heather replied.

"You could always go with me— for me," Joey corrected.

"Which is it?" Heather pressed, clearly intending to milk the slip-up. "With you or for you?"

Joey decided to avoid the mistake altogether. "Matthew and Ellie are going to be there. Tim's going to probably be with Vanessa and I don't really care for alcohol, either."

"It sounds like were leaning towards me going _for_ you," Heather said with a smile. She picked up another piece of paper and examined it. "But I suppose I could go _with_ you. Just so you don't feel left out."

"Thanks," Joey said, feeling surprisingly relieved. Then he registered the last part of her sentence. "I think."

Heather chuckled and set the paper aside. She picked up another paper, read it for a moment, and smiled.

"What?" Joey asked.

"Nothing," Heather said quickly, folding the paper and seeming to stifle a laugh. "It's nothing."

"Wait. Is it me?" Joey asked. He reached for the paper and Heather held it high above her head. Joey couldn't quite reach it. "What does it say?"

Heather giggled again and lowered the paper. "How the hell did you get a laptop mouse stuck up your nose when you were a kid?"

Joey reached for the paper and Heather pulled her hand away once again.

"No way," Heather said as he continued to reach for the paper. "I need to make a copy of this for Ellie."

"Oh, God," Joey said, his face starting to get warmer. He raised his hands in surrender. "Fine. Dad gave me a broken laptop with one of those small mouses in the center of the keyboard. You know, the ones that look like little pencil erasers?"

"Why did you do it, though?" Heather asked, holding the paper higher. "Let's see… how old were you. Oh my God. You were—"

"Age and details are not important," Joey interrupted. He finally managed to snatch the paper from Heather's hand. "Must destroy evidence."

Joey tucked the paper into his back pocket.

Heather folded her arms. "Hiding isn't destroying," she pointed out.

"I'm going to burn it later," Joey said.

Heather laughed again.

Joey went back to sorting through the papers. He looked up and caught Heather smiling at him before she looked back down at her own pile of papers.

When she ran out of papers, Heather reached over to Joey's pile and started to take a few papers. The next time she reached for the pile, Heather reached forward and lunged for the paper still sticking out of Joey's back pocket.

"Hey!" Joey said quickly.

Joey tried to turn to the side and moved too far, toppling off the edge of the bed.

Heather flopped around on the other side of the bed laughing harder than she ever had.

Joey cursed under his breath.

Heather crawled forward on the bed as her laughter subsided.

"We never speak of that," Joey said, sitting up.

"This has been a great night," Heather said with another laugh. "I'm getting so much ammo."

Heather extended her hand and helped Joey back onto the bed. They settled and started to re-sort the papers on the bed. As Heather and Joey each reached past each other to replace papers in a pile, their arms and hands touched.

Joey and Heather both froze before chuckling at the unorthodox work. They looked at each other.

Heather attempted to brush down Joey's now unkempt hair.

Joey slowly reached forward and removed a piece of Heather's disheveled hair from her mouth.

After a few seconds of looking into each other's eyes, they both leaned forward. Their lips brushed up against one another's.

Arata jumped up onto the bed. The cat's tail drifted between them as the cat nudged under Heather's chin before completing its turn and hissing at Joey.

Heather cleared her throat and backed up, petting the cat. "I should probably feed her."

Joey glanced at Heather as she disappeared from the room. Her face was hidden in shadow and held an emotion that Joey couldn't translate.

Joey sighed and looked at the cat. "The second there's a food shortage, you're the first to go."

The cat hissed again and left the room.

Joey finished sorting through the papers as Heather reentered the room. She sat down on the far edge of the bed. Her face was passive, but otherwise unreadable.

Heather opened her mouth, then closed it.

Joey opened his mouth to speak as well but was unsure what to say himself.

"Anything else?" Joey asked after another few minutes of silence.

"No…" Heather said distantly. She shook her head. "No. We're good."

"Okay," Joey said as he stood. "I'll um… I'll see you tomorrow night?"

"Yeah," Heather said, her face somewhat red. "I just have to stop off at Ellie's to get a… never mind. I'll see you tomorrow night."

"Everybody's meeting at Ellie's around eight," Joey reminded her. "Well, accept Matthew. He's gonna be waiting at the bar."

"Got it," Heather said. "Bye, Joey."

"Bye," Joey said.

 ** _…_**

Heather waited until Joey left before taking a deep breath.

As she sorted the files into cupboards for safe keeping, Heather found herself wishing that the moment she'd had with Joey lasted a few seconds longer. Her grip on the cupboard door slipped and it closed with a loud slam.

 _Heather slammed against wall as the drunk man mashed his_ _lips against hers._

Heather cursed loudly as she dropped a large pile of papers on the floor.

Heather shook her head and picked up the papers.

A half hour later, Heather grabbed the blankets and pillows from her bed and placed them on the couch.

 ** _…_**

Joey ran a hand through his hair as he continued to walk home the long way. He came across Tim and Matthew as they exited Tim's house.

"Good timing," Tim said. He walked forward and handed Joey a pile of clothes. "I managed to scavenge out some nice-ish clothes from the house."

"Thanks," Joey said. He started to walk again.

"You okay?" Tim asked.

Joey didn't answer right away. Then he shrugged. "Heather's coming."

"Good," Tim said. He glanced between Matthew and Joey. "Well, I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Matthew nodded and started walking down the street.

Joey thanked Tim for the clothes before walking after Matthew.

Joey and Matthew walked in silence until they reached the houses. They exchanged polite nods before separating.

Joey turned around. "Matthew."

Matthew turned, walked toward Joey, and lowered his voice. "Something tells me that your talk with Heather had some… unexpected turns."

Joey looked down at the ground, speaking quietly. "She doesn't trust me."

Matthew waited a few seconds before replying. "It may not be you she doesn't trust."

"What else is there?" Joey asked, looking at Matthew. "Every time we… it's usually just us when she pulls away."

Matthew took a deep breath and looked into the distance before returning his gaze to Joey. "Everyone has their dark sides, Joey. Dark pasts. Dark experiences. Sometimes, the people who had to survive out there embraced the darkness and did things that don't let us sleep some nights. Sometimes we didn't have a choice."

"I'd like to tell her that I understand that," Joey said slowly. He shook his head. "But that wouldn't be the truth."

"The point is that neither of us know what Heather's been through," Matthew continued. "Only she does."

"I can handle it," Joey insisted. "Whatever she's done… _if_ she's done anything. Whatever she's been through. I can handle it.

"And I'm sure she knows that," Matthew said calmly. "But most people are afraid to talk about it. It means opening old wounds or allowing the fear to come back."

"Fear," Joey said skeptically.

"Yeah," Matthew said quietly. "The fear makes us afraid that we can't go on and do what we want to do. Or worse, it makes us afraid that we're going to push people away. Especially the people we _want_ to let in."

"So, it is me," Joey said. He looked down, feeling hopeless.

"I doubt it," Matthew said with certainty.

Joey looked at him.

Matthew placed a hand on Joey's shoulder. "She may be scared because of something she's once done or something that was done to her, but you need to remember one thing. If she didn't trust you, she wouldn't be in Jackson. She would still be out there. Or she would be dead."

Matthew walked away, leaving Joey with his thoughts.


	16. Joey and Heather Part II: Trust

The next day, Heather put on the red, ankle length, sleeveless dress Ellie provided. They were sitting in Heather's room getting ready for the party that was supposed to start an hour later.

"I think red's a good color on you," Ellie commented from the side, wearing a red t-shirt and blue jeans with her black sleeve. She handed Heather her shirt with a smile. "Is it still too early to say I told you so?"

Heather shook her head.

"That's it?" Ellie asked. Sitting on the still empty mattress. "No comeback?"

"How about 'fuck off'?" Heather offered irritably.

Ellie stood. "Okay… what's going on?"

"I'm sorry," Heather said. She took a breath and spoke calmly. "I'm sorry, Ellie. I didn't mean to snap. Just please… let's not make a big deal of this."

"Why?" Ellie asked.

"Because the more you make a big deal of it, the more awkward it is," Heather lied. "Just… let it be what it's going to be."

"Alright," Ellie said, stepping back. She sat on the bed again. "That's not the real reason. But if it works, I'm not going to argue with it. Got any other stuff to try on?"

Heather pointed at the closet. "I've got some shoes in there."

"No fucking way!" Ellie said as she opened the closet door. "Where did you get four-inch heels?"

"Maria gave them to me this morning," Heather answered, accepting the shoes. She started putting them on. "They look nice, but…"

Ellie laughed as Heather stood and stumbled through the first few steps.

Heather laughed as well. "I almost got the hang of them. But the first two steps are a bitch."

"Those look really uncomfortable," Ellie commented, indicating that she no longer desired a turn. She stood. "I'll just stick with the basics."

"Whatever floats your boat," Heather said, clicking her heels on the ground. "Just don't let me trip tonight."

"Well, there is one last thing," Ellie said.

"What's that?" Heather asked.

Ellie grabbed the hairbrush.

 ** _…_**

Joey met up with Tim on the street in front of his house at eight.

Both young men wore button up shirts. Joey's blue, and Tim's light grey. They also wore black dress pants.

"Where's Vanessa?" Joey asked.

"She's at the bar already," Tim answered. He inclined his head over Joey's shoulder. "Your girlfriend's here."

Joey turned and saw Ellie and Heather walking down the street.

Ellie wore a purple dress that ended just below her ankles. Light, transparent sleeves ran from her shoulders down to her wrists. She wore light blue sleeves underneath the dress to hide her bite. Her hair was once again down and brushed lightly behind her head. She also wore the necklace given to her by Uncle Joel years before.

Joey couldn't help but smile as Heather walked forward.

Heather wore a red, sleeveless dress the same length as Ellie's and wore a pair of black shoes with four-inch heels. Her hair, out of its usual ponytail, was brushed and braided, lying lightly down the front of her right shoulder. Wrapped around her arm was a grey sweater that Joey knew held her scalpel.

Heather stumbled slightly.

Joey instinctively reached out to steady her, but Ellie got there first. Joey awkwardly lowered his arm, hoping that nobody had noticed.

"Look at you two boys, all spick and spim," Ellie said to Tim and Joey.

"Spick and spam," Joey corrected glancing at Heather again.

"Whatever," Ellie said. She looked down the street. "Are we going to do this or what?"

They all started walking toward the bar. After a block, Ellie walked up next to Tim and left Joey and Heather a few steps behind.

"So," Ellie said winking at Joey and Heather before turning to Tim. "Tell me all about how you're going to _charm_ Vanessa tonight."

"And there she goes again," Joey commented. He looked at Heather as she stumbled slightly. "First time wearing heels?"

"You want to try them?" Heather asked jokingly.

"I think I'm good," Joey said, catching Heather as she stumbled.

"This is so much easier on solid ground," Heather grumbled.

"I think you look good," Joey said, hoping he was saying the right thing.

"Thanks," Heather said. She glanced at Joey's hair.

"Please don't say anything," Joey said, embarrassed as he attempted to brush down his hair. "I can get it looking nice until I move. My hair is not meant to stay down."

"Looks flatter than usual," Heather said, sounding optimistic.

"Thanks," Joey said with a laugh. He looked at Heather again. "I think you should wear your hair down more often."

"I might," Heather said, running a finger though the braid. "If I can get Ellie to show me how to do this."

Up ahead, Ellie was rambling on.

Tim looked at Joey and Heather for help.

Joey and Heather both laughed.

Joey summoned his courage and slowly reached over to grab Heather's hand as Heather moved to hook her arm around his.

Both failed.

Heather and Joey chuckled again and Joey stood still, allowing Heather to hook her arm around his.

"So, who's taking who again?" Joey asked, trying to break the awkward silence.

"I don't know," Heather said with a shrug. "It doesn't matter."

Joey smiled and stayed silent.

It was dark by the time they arrived at the bar. They found Vanessa already waiting for them outside. She wore a long black dress that covered her ankles.

"No Clarisse?" Vanessa asked Tim.

"Not this time," Tim replied.

"I like that kid," Vanessa reminded him.

"Well, she's hanging out with Lin," Tim explained with a sheepish smile. "So, she's not going to wait up."

"How's it going in there?" Ellie asked.

"Everybody's drinking and everybody's happy," Vanessa reported. "Your boyfriend's doing his job."

"Awesome," Ellie said. She walked past Vanessa and entered the bar.

Joey looked between Vanessa and Tim expectantly.

"Oh, he talked to me last night," Vanessa said. She put a hand around Tim's shoulder. "We're here together."

"Congratulations," Heather said genuinely.

"Thanks," Tim said. He raised an eyebrow at Joey. "Success?"

"T-B-D," Joey answered.

"Inside joke?" Heather asked quietly as Tim and Vanessa started talking.

"Something like that," Joey answered.

"Who involved in the joke had 'success'?" Heather asked with a small smile.

"That depends on if were here together or not," Joey said.

"We're about to walk into the same building together," Heather said, starting to enjoy the game. "That count?"

"I think we can work with that," Joey said.

They started walking toward the bar as Tim and Vanessa reached the doorway.

Tim opened the door to hold it open for Vanessa.

Vanessa laughed. "You're cute, Tim. But you don't have to hold the door open for me."

Vanessa walked in, dragging Tim by the hand.

"They seem…" Heather's voice trailed off.

"Comfortable?" Joey offered.

"That's one way to put it," Heather said.

"I heard they really supported each other after Jeff died," Joey said quietly. "Ellie said they had a few late nights after the meetings."

"Well, at least something good came out of it," Heather said.

"I think it's good to have somebody you can trust," Joey said.

Heather took a step back. "Look, about last night when—"

"That's not what I meant," Joey said quickly. "I meant that it's nice knowing that there's always somebody who'll listen if you ask."

"Oh," Heather said. She cleared her throat. "I'm just a little… weird tonight. The dress. The heels… it's not my scene."

"Mine either," Joey said simply. "Ready to go in?"

"Yup," Heather said.

They entered the bar together and made their way to the group of chairs and a couch that sat kitty-corner to the bar. The bar already had multiple patrons sitting against it. Vanessa and Tim had already taken a couple of the chairs. Ellie and Matthew were in the corner of the room.

Matthew wore his usual blue jeans and jacket. However, the clothes seemed less wrinkled and tattered than usual.

Joey and Heather sat down on the red couch together on separate cushions. As Joey attempted to relax, Heather set her sweater on her end of the couch.

Joey saw Tim and Vanessa chatting. He turned and saw Ellie raise her dress slightly to show off the shoes she wore every day. Matthew chuckled and whispered something in Ellie's ear, earning a smile.

Somebody walked forward and offered Joey and Heather a bottle of beer.

"No thanks," Heather said.

Joey shook his head.

The man shrugged and walked away.

"No beer?" Heather asked.

"No," Joey said.

"Wuss," Ellie said, joining them. She pointed at Heather. "My bar, my couch. Scoot."

Joey moved further onto his cushion. Heather, unconsciously it seemed, tucked in her feet and moved a little closer to him with a smile.

Ellie sat down. "First big party without your parents and you're not going to drink?" she asked Joey.

They all looked at the end of the bar and saw a group of three men their age taking beers. All three of them wore matching black pants and blue t-shirts. It was clear by the four bottles on the table in front of them that they had already been at it for a while and were sufficiently drunk.

Joey looked at Ellie. "I figure I just want to make sure that I _remember_ my first big party without my parents," he answered.

"Suit yourself," Ellie said, looking between Heather and Joey. She shrugged and grabbed two beers from the bar and handed one to Vanessa. "We have to make up these two."

Vanessa laughed and uncapped the bottle.

Heather looked over at Joey and spoke quietly. "You're not avoiding the alcohol because I avoid alcohol, are you?"

Joey shrugged, hoping his next words weren't the wrong ones. "Like I said. There's some things I want to remember."

Heather smiled and didn't reply.

 ** _…_**

As the night wore on, more people arrived at the party. The bar got louder. People started drinking more. Somebody even brought in a somewhat working CD player with a portable speaker.

As Heather and Joey continued talking and gossiping with Tim, Vanessa, Ellie, and occasionally Matthew, Heather realized that she was practically half sitting, half laying in Joey's lap. One of his hands were somehow intertwined with hers.

Heather decided not to say anything.

Ellie returned to the couch again, leaving Matthew to keep an eye on the other partygoers.

"I got to say, I'm proud of you," Ellie said to Tim. "How long has it been since you were around this much alcohol."

"When you punched me in the face," Tim said. He glanced at Vanessa. "That was the _second_ -best thing that ever happened to me."

Heather, Joey, and Ellie laughed at the obvious attempt at flirting.

Vanessa smiled and kissed Tim on the cheek. "I may be tipsy, but I think I'm still coordinated enough to dance."

"I don't really dance," Tim said lamely, looking away.

"That's not what your sister said," Vanessa teased. "She said that you are a great dancer."

Everyone laughed as the music faded out and another song started.

Tim placed a hand over his face and shook his head. "She was about three feet shorter back then."

"Pleeaase?" Vanessa begged. "I promise that I won't tell her if you don't."

Tim looked at Joey, who shrugged. Tim sighed. "Sure."

Ellie smiled as Tim and Vanessa stood, moving to the center of the bar that was turned into a makeshift dance floor.

"Great," Joey said quietly to Heather as Ellie made a heart with her index and middle fingers and pointed in Tim and Vanessa's direction. Joey rolled his eyes. "Now she's going to start poking at _us_ again."

Heather sniggered.

"See?" Joey grunted as Ellie turned to them with the heart.

Heather flipped Ellie the bird, earning an evil smile from the other girl.

Their hands still intertwined, Joey and Heather smiled as Tim and Vanessa started to dance.

 ** _…_**

A few minutes later, Matthew walked over and offered Ellie a hand.

Ellie raised an eyebrow.

"This is the only time I'm offering," Matthew said with a small smile.

Ellie smiled and took his hand. She stood and allowed him to walk her out to the center of the barroom where others were dancing.

"Any of these songs sound familiar?" Matthew asked casually.

"All of them, actually," Ellie replied. She punched Matthew lightly on the arm. "You stole my CDs."

"Borrowing," Matthew corrected. He placed a hand on her back and intertwined his other hand with hers. "I figured you wouldn't mind."

Ellie smiled again as Matthew slowly started walking them back and forth. "I thought you said you don't dance," Ellie teased.

"I don't," Matthew replied.

 ** _…_**

Joey and Heather remained silent as they watched Tim, Vanessa, Matthew, and Ellie dance.

Joey looked down at Heather, who's face suggested that she was somewhere else completely.

Joey cleared his throat. "I don't suppose you want to work in those heels a little more? Dance, I mean."

Heather shrugged. "Not really. But I would like to…" she uncurled her legs and stretched them. "Ahh, that's better. My leg was falling asleep."

Joey chuckled as he stretched out one of his legs.

"What?" Heather asked. "My leg really was falling asleep."

"Nothing," Joey said quickly. He shrugged. "I was just thinking that your furball would have killed me by now. I even sit next to you and that thing gets in my face."

Heather laughed. "I think she's wanted you dead since she met you."

 ** _…_**

Ellie looked up from her shoes at Matthew speaking softly. "I remember something else we talked about in that school in… where was that again?"

"Wellesley," Matthew answered.

"Right," Ellie said. "I remember that we also talked about friends that we could have had."

"I remember," Matthew said, stopping for a moment. He started turning them in a small circle. "But I wouldn't exactly call this a 'social circle'."

"No?" Ellie asked, raising Matthew's hand and turning herself in a small circle. "What would you call it then?"

"Try family," Matthew said simply.

Ellie looked over Matthew's shoulder as they turned again. She spotted Tim leaning forward and kissing Vanessa for a few seconds before they both smiled and exited the bar together. On the couch, Joey was laughing at something Heather said.

Ellie smiled and laid her head on Matthew's chest as they continued to dance.

 ** _…_**

After laughing for a few seconds, Joey and Heather fell silent again. They were momentarily distracted by the three drunk guys near their end of the bar.

Joey took a deep breath. _Here we go._ "So, was it a good idea to come tonight?"

"Better than what I was planning on doing," Heather replied. "Although, entertaining the potential profit that could be gained using blackmail with all those files would have been fun."

"I bet," Joey said with a laugh.

 ** _…_**

Ellie watched Heather tuck her legs under her as she smiled at something Joey said.

Ellie closed her eyes for a moment and allowed her mind to wander to possible futures.

"What's in your head right now?" Matthew asked quietly.

"Me?" Ellie asked, blushing slightly. "I was just thinking what it would be like if our family got a little… bigger."

Ellie felt Matthew tense up for a split second before he responded. "I don't think I'm quite ready for… aggressive expansion."

Ellie snorted and decided to ignore the awkwardness of the moment.

 ** _…_**

"Doctor-patient confidentiality," Heather said as Joey opened his mouth. "I'm not letting you help me study the files."

"You are no fun right now," Joey said.

"Hey," Heather warned. "You'd better be nice to me. The laptop mouse wasn't the only file on you."

Joey nodded. After a moment, he sighed. "Okay, I should stop stalling or I'm never going to get the courage or stupidity back to do this," he said quickly and quietly.

"Do what?" Heather asked.

Joey rambled on. "It's just that I've wanted to do this for a really long time, but I've been afraid it would make things really awkward or it would ruin something good that we already had or— oh, what the hell?"

Joey leaned forward and kissed Heather.

Heather's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Oddly enough, she also found herself ready for the moment, quickly returning the kiss.

Joey leaned forward slightly, still kissing her.

Heather felt herself relaxing and she leaned back.

The uneven couch cushion slipped out from under her, causing Joey to fall forward.

For a brief moment, Heather felt almost all of Joey's weight against her.

 _Heather felt the drunk man's full weight press down on her._

 _Moments earlier, the drunk man had mashed his_ _lips against hers._

 _The drunk man had grabbed collar of her shirt and ripped it off._

 _Heather screamed._

 _"I always told your mom you need to lighten up," the drunk man had grunted._

Heather shoved Joey hard as he was simultaneously trying to rise, sending him back to the other side of the couch.

"Heather…" Joey said, looking scared and concerned. "I'm…"

Heather sat up and forward, attempting to cease her rapid breathing. Her hand drifted toward her sweater on the couch next to her.

Heather looked at Joey but couldn't find the words to explain what had happened. She had no idea what to say.

Joey slowly stood. He gulped. "Do you… you want some water or something?"

"Sure," Heather said quickly. Her breathing had finally slowed, but she felt like her heart was going to burst from her chest. "Sure. Water would… water would be good."

Joey moved behind the couch to a small table a short distance away that had non-alcoholic drinks.

Heather attempted to control her breathing as one of the drunk man from the bar stepped forward. She now recognized the man to be Steven. He was a couple years older than Heather and sported blonde, unkempt hair.

Heather looked down.

"Hey, yous mind if I sit?" Steven slurred, clearly drunk after over six beers and multiple shots.

"I'd rather you not," Heather said, attempting to keep her emotions in check.

"You withs someone?" Steven asked, taking a step forward.

"That seat's taken," Heather said firmly. One hand still rested on her sweater. Her other fist started to clench. "Thanks for the offer."

"Steven," Joey said as he returned. He looked between Heather and Steven before obviously forcing a smile. "Having a good time?"

"I'm tryings to," Steven said. He looked at Heather. "You wanna dance?"

"Not really," Heather said through gritted teeth.

Joey stepped forward, partially placing himself between Steven and Heather. He let out a breath, continuing to speak calmly. "Do you mind, Steven? Heather and I were just…"

 ** _…_**

Ellie completed another circle with Matthew. She looked over his shoulder and snuck a glance at the couch.

Ellie saw Heather's face and body language.

Ellie took the lead and started to turn Matthew. "I have a bad feeling about what's going on over there," she said seriously.

Matthew stopped them for a moment to look over her shoulder. "Joey's not one to start a fight. I'm sure it's—"

"I'm not looking at Joey," Ellie said as she let go of Matthew completely.

Matthew watched for a moment, already moving with Ellie as she made her way to the couch. "You want to handle the bar or the couch?" he asked.

"I'll take the bar."

They started to make their way across the room, attempting to weave through dancing partygoers.

 ** _…_**

Joey took another breath, attempting to stay calm. "Steven—"

"From the lookses of it," Steven interrupted. "You just got rejected anyway. Hows about you go get us a beer."

"I don't drink," Heather snapped.

Joey glanced over and noticed her grasp something inside her sweater with her right hand.

Heather sat up slightly and looked Steven in the eye, speaking firmly. "Have a good night, Steven."

"There," Joey said, attempting to speak lightly. "See? She doesn't want company. So, how about you and your friends go back to your drinks."

"You knows what I think?" Steven asked, pushing Joey aside with an arm. "I think she needs to lighten up."

"Back off!" Heather practically shouted.

Joel saw Heather yank the scalpel out of her sweater and raise it. He immediately moved between her and Steven.

"She said back off, Steven!" Joey snapped, shoving Steven back before anyone could react.

 ** _…_**

Ellie moved behind Steven's friends as he was shoved into them. One of them bumped roughly into Ellie, sending her back a few steps and into a man sitting at the bar.

The man looked up irritably as Ellie accidently spilled his drink on him.

Ellie smiled shyly and raised a hand, giving him a small wave.

The man grunted irritably and grabbed another drink from behind the bar.

Satisfied that she had prevented a second situation, Ellie relaxed slightly. Her smile morphed into a glare as she turned back to Steven and his buddies, who were advancing on Joey.

 ** _…_**

Joey stood his ground as Steven stepped forward.

Heather remained where she was, the scalpel was still raised.

"Hey, Hey. Hey," Matthew said calmly and quickly, coming in from Joey's right. He placed himself between Joey and Steven. Matthew held out a hand behind him, lightly pushing Joey away. He held his other hand palm out, facing Steven. "Let's not do this, Steven."

"This isn't any of yours business," Steven growled.

Joey glanced at Heather before opening his mouth to reply.

"Joey," Matthew warned, not even turning.

Joey closed his mouth as Ellie walked around Steven and moved to the couch.

"Let's get out of here," Ellie said quietly as she handed Heather her sweater before helping the other girl rise to her feet.

Joey took a small breath and stepped back as Heather grabbed her sweater and allowed Ellie to escort her toward the back door of the bar.

Matthew lowered both hands, addressing Steven. "Look, I think we've all had a lot to drink tonight," he said calmly. "We haven't had a party like this in a while and I think we're all trying to have a good time."

The entire bar had fallen silent aside from the music and all eyes were focused on them.

Matthew seemed to pay no attention and continued speaking. "So, how about we just call this a misunderstanding and…" he reached around Steven and grabbed three more beers from the bar, holding them out. "Keep having a good time."

Steven blinked several times and stared at the drinks.

"Yeah?" Matthew urged.

After a few seconds, Steven sighed and took the beers. "Yeah."

Matthew nodded and looked at Steven's friends. "Have a good night, gentlemen."

Joey turned and followed Heather and Ellie to the back door of the bar.

 ** _…_**

Matthew considered following when he spotted Tommy and Marcus standing at the entrance to the bar.

Matthew walked forward.

"Sorry we're late," Marcus said. "We had to help out with a little training on the Wall."

"It's no problem," Matthew said. He turned and looked at the bar. "It's been pretty calm, considering. You might want to cut Steven and his friends off after their next drink. They're getting a little… ambitious."

"If they're getting labeled with big words like that by _you_ , maybe I should cut them off now," Marcus said, making his way to the bar.

"What about what we just saw?" Tommy asked calmly, folding his arms.

"It's nothing we couldn't handle," Matthew said.

Tommy chuckled. "That I saw. You and Ellie are a good team," he said.

Matthew shrugged.

Tommy stepped forward and lowered his voice. "Anything I need to know about?"

"I have feeling that whatever it is isn't in our control," Matthew said carefully.

"Fair enough," Tommy said. He held out his hand. "Thanks for keeping an eye on things… again."

Matthew shook the hand. "Not a problem."

 ** _…_**

Joey walked out the back door of the bar and saw Heather already walking down the street. She stumbled on the uneven ground due to her heels.

Joey moved to go after her and was blocked by Ellie's arm.

Joey looked Ellie in the eye.

After a few seconds, Ellie lowered her hand and stepped aside.

 ** _…_**

Ellie watched as Joey jogged after Heather. She heard somebody walk out the door behind her. Ellie didn't need to look to know who it was. "I think I should stick around home tonight."

"She didn't say anything?" Matthew asked.

"Nothing," Ellie replied.

"She'll come to you if she needs to," Matthew said, placing a hand on Ellie's shoulder.

"I have a really bad fucking feeling about this," Ellie said as Heather and Joey turned a corner and moved out of sight.

"Let's just get through tonight," Matthew said, kissing her on top of the head.

"Always a good back-up," Ellie said. She sighed. "Let's get home."

 ** _…_**

"Heather," Joey called again, walking behind her.

Heather didn't answer as she stumbled on her heels again.

"Heather," Joey repeated as he jogged forward and walked next to her.

"These fucking heels!" Heather snapped. She kicked them off and attempted to keep moving.

Joey reached out with an arm. "Heather would you just—"

"Don't touch me!" Heather snapped as she swung around. "Or maybe you should just go and pick another fight with those drunk assholes."

"I'm sorry," Joey said sarcastically, taking a step back and raising his voice. "Maybe I just didn't want somebody to get stabbed."

"And how would a bunch of drunk assholes fighting in a bar with other people drinking be any better?" Heather shouted.

"Don't give me that shit!" Joey retorted, shouting at Heather for the first time. "You and I both know what would have happened to Steven if he'd taken another step! You were going to use the scalpel!"

Heather let out an angry breath and turned away.

Joey took a deep breath and stepped forward. He forced himself to keep his voice quiet and calm. "Heather, who are you mad at? Steven? I mean, what did you think was he going to do?"

Heather kept her back turned. She began to shake.

"Or was it me?" Joey asked quietly. "Is it what I did?"

Heather slowly turned around as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Heather…" Joey said, ashamed of himself and saddened at the same time. He slowly raised a hand. "I…"

Heather took a step back.

Joey lowered his hand.

Heather turned away again. "I need…"

"You need to talk to _somebody_ ," Joey finished for her. He sighed. "I wish it was me. I really do."

Heather didn't turn.

Joey took a step back himself. "But it's not me," he said as his eyes began to water. "I get it now."

Joey started to walk away. He stopped and grabbed Heather's discarded heels before continuing without another word.

 ** _…_**

Ellie and Matthew walked through the front door of their house a half hour later.

Ellie changed into her red and black night clothes while Matthew paced in the hallway.

"I'll go for a walk," Matthew said as Ellie emerged.

"You don't have to," Ellie said, grabbing his arm.

"I think I do," Matthew said quietly. He turned away. "Whatever Heather's going through…"

"How much do you think you know?" Ellie asked.

Matthew sighed and looked at Ellie. "If it's what I think it is, then I can guarantee she won't want me here."

"I don't suppose you want to give me a heads-up," Ellie said.

"I think we need to let things run their course," Matthew said. He swallowed. "I really hope I'm wrong."

"Which means you're probably not," Ellie said regretfully.

"I see you in the morning," Matthew said.

"Thank you," Ellie said as he walked away.

Matthew turned. "For what?"

Ellie shrugged. "For the dance."

"Your welcome," Matthew said, giving her a kiss.

Ellie waited until she heard the front door close before making her way upstairs. She saw a small light coming through Joel's bedroom door.

Ellie knocked and entered, finding Joel reading in bed.

"How was the party?" Joel asked, closing his book. "I didn't expect to see you until tomorrow morning."

Ellie sat down on the edge of Joel's bed. "For me, the party was great."

"What about the kid?" Joel asked, glancing at the door.

"I think he had fun," Ellie said. She smiled and lowered her voice. "We danced which was awesome. And Tim and Vanessa should be official right about now."

"Joey and Heather?" Joel said, sitting up.

Ellie looked at him in surprise.

Joel chuckled. "Ellie, you've been trying to match them up for years."

Ellie slowly nodded. "That's where things get… complicated. Heather um… she may visit tonight."

"What kind of visit?" Joel asked, concerned. "Is everything okay?"

"It will be," Ellie said slowly. "Hopefully."

"I'll be sure to give you two space," Joel said.

"Thanks," Ellie said.

Joel picked up the book again. "Good luck, kiddo."

 ** _…_**

Joey walked into his house and placed the heels inside the door. He walked upstairs and straight into his room.

Joey took a deep breath and wiped the tears from his eyes. He opened his closet, extracted his walkie-talkie, and turned it on to the private channel he and Heather always used.

Joey sat down on his bed and stared at the device. _Please call. Just say… something. Anything._

 ** _…_**

Heather sat on her bed, staring at the walkie-talkie in her hand. _Say something, Heather. Anything._ Heather's hand started to shake, trying to figure out _what_ she could say.

Heather closed her eyes. There was so much she wanted to say. There was so much she wanted to tell him, but… she couldn't. _Goddammit, Heather. Say something!_

Heather dropped the walkie talkie and screamed loudly in anger. She grabbed the pillow on her bed and threw into the window before placing her head in her hands and sobbing.

Arata jumped onto the bed and nudged her elbow.

Heather grabbed the cat and hugged it close. "He's right," she said after a few minutes. She shuddered through a sob. "He's right. I… I need to talk to someone."

Heather grabbed her sweater and stood, throwing it around her shoulders and over her dress. She barely felt the ground under her bare feet as she exited the house. She barely noticed the cat following her. She didn't notice where she was going until she found herself on the street between Ellie and Joey's house.

Heather turned away from Joey's house and walked to Ellie's door, finding it unlocked. Heather walked through the dark house and to Ellie's room.

Ellie was sitting up in bed. She looked at Heather.

Heather made eye contact, silently asking permission.

Ellie flipped back the blankets, revealing a space for Heather.

Heather slowly walked forward and crawled into the bed, letting her sweater drop to the floor.

Ellie flipped the covers back over Heather's legs.

They were silent for a while as Heather attempted to figure out what she was going to say.

Ellie reached under the blanket and grabbed Heather's hand, squeezing it tightly.

Heather squeezed back.

Arata walked into the room and curled up on Winston's tail before falling asleep.

Heather closed her eyes as they started to water, suddenly realizing that talking was going to be harder than she thought.

Ellie continued to squeeze Heather's hand.

Heather drew in a breath as tears flowed down her face. "When I was seventeen and living in the zone with my mom… I was… Somebody…" Heather shook her head and half cried, half whispered the next words. "I couldn't stop him."

Ellie looked at her. "You mean…"

Heather slowly nodded.

"Oh my God," Ellie whispered.

Heather swallowed and slowly choked out her memories. "My mom got called out by the soldiers and they wouldn't let me come with. This drunk asshole came in. He'd been there before, but my mom was always able to make him leave. But… not this time."

Heather looked away again and sobbed, squeezing Ellie's hand. "Not this time… I couldn't stop him. I screamed, but… nobody heard. Nobody could help. Nobody wanted to."

Ellie wrapped her arm around Heather's shoulder and held her close.

Heather continued to cry into Ellie's chest. "I couldn't stop him," she cried quietly. "Everything my mom taught me about fighting and I couldn't stop him. I remember… everything. Every _fucking_ thing that man did to me… I remember it all."

"I'm sorry," Ellie said, starting to tear up herself. She stroked Heather's hair. Allowing Heather to cry into her shoulder for a few minutes.

Heather slowly drew away.

Ellie kept a grip on the other girl's hand. "Heather… I'm so sorry."

"That's more than anyone else fucking said," Heather said bitterly as she wiped away her tears. "After he left… I heard gunshots and an explosion. The soldiers grabbed me and threw me into a truck. I barely had enough time to grab a scalpel. I… I saw my mother dead on the street as we drove out of the zone."

Heather fell silent for a while.

The only sound was Winston snoring.

Ellie squeezed Heather's hand again. "I'm sorry that I always pushed you and Joey. If I'd known…"

Heather sat up in the bed again and shook her head. She squeezed Ellie's hand. "Joey was the first person I'd talked too after… he was the first person other than my mom I'd ever trusted."

Arata rose and walked next to the bed.

Heather turned away from Ellie and held out her hand for Arata to nudge. Heather's next words were spoken barely above a whisper. "I want to trust Joey more. I really do. But every time that I feel like I can let him be closer… _he_ comes back. _He's_ always fucking there. I can't make _him_ go away. I just feel… trapped."

They remained silent for a time before Ellie sighed. "I don't know how you do it," she said.

Heather turned to look at Ellie.

Ellie stared ahead as she continued. "I've been through some crazy shit in my life, Heather. And years ago, one guy might have been close to… I don't know if I could have survived something like that…"

"No person should have to," Heather said darkly.

"Have you ever told anyone?" Ellie asked carefully.

"No," Heather said, sitting up.

"That's why you've always been afraid to get closer to people," Ellie said as she sat up too. She nudged Heather's shoulder, adopting a teasing tone. "Accept for the day we met. You know, you and Matthew."

"That was different," Heather said, smiling despite herself. "I don't have a problem with getting close to people. I have a problem with people getting close to me."

"I wouldn't exactly call Matthew 'forward'," Ellie said half-jokingly. "Or Joey for that matter."

Both girls chuckled for a moment.

Heather extracted her hand from Ellie's before speaking. "Joey has always been there for me. No matter what, he's always been there. And I've always wanted to move on. I want to… live. But I can't. _He_ won't let me."

Ellie nodded without saying a word.

"I know," Heather said quietly, looking away again. "It's stupid. I should just get over it. Suck it up."

"No," Ellie said quickly. She grabbed Heather's face and gently turned it toward her. "That man took something from you. He had… no. _Nobody_ has a right to take something from you like he did."

Heather looked down for a moment but didn't turn away.

Ellie spoke calmly, but firmly. "It. Is. Not. Stupid. And it isn't your fault."

Heather nodded and didn't speak for a few seconds.

Ellie didn't speak either.

"I kissed Joey," Heather said suddenly, not knowing why. A small amount of anger entered her voice. "I kissed Joey and _he_ came back. _He_ ruined it and—"

"How did it feel?" Ellie interrupted.

"What?" Heather asked, at a loss for words.

"How did it feel?" Ellie repeated.

Heather let out a breath and shook her head.

Ellie spoke quickly. "Seriously. Don't even think. Just answer. How did it feel?"

"It felt…" Heather hesitated. She sighed. "'Right', Ellie. It felt 'right'."

"Then it's fucking 'right'," Ellie said firmly. "Do you want to feel 'right' again?"

Heather closed her eyes as Ellie stared at her. After taking a deep breath, Heather opened her eyes and answered. "Yes."

"You are the strongest person I know," Ellie said. She smiled slightly. "Trust me. I wish that I could wave my arms and make everything awesome. Well, more than I do normally that is."

Heather laughed and pushed Ellie's shoulder.

"I wish I could do that," Ellie continued, turning serious again. "But whether either of us like it or not, only _you_ can take back control from that asshole."

"How?" Heather asked, finding herself desperate for an answer.

"By getting rid of the 'what ifs'," Ellie answered.

Heather looked down as fear and apprehension took hold.

Ellie started playing with her own fingers. "I'm not saying you have to do it tonight, but I think it's something you need to do eventually."

"All I have are 'what ifs'," Heather whispered.

"You told me years ago that 'what ifs' are better than no choice at all," Ellie replied.

Heather took a deep breath and lowered her voice. "That's a lot of fucking baggage to put on Joey. To put on anyone."

"He can take it," Ellie said simply. "Joey's no stranger to baggage. From friend or family."

Heather glanced at the bite on Ellie's arm, feeling a small amount of hope followed by more trepidation and fear.

"As your personal friend of six years," Ellie said, almost hesitantly.

Heather looked at Ellie, giving the other girl silent permission.

Ellie spoke calmly. "You need to take chance first and give Joey something. Not necessarily everything, but… something."

Heather thought about Ellie's advice for a while. The longer she thought, the more stressed she became. Soon, all the thoughts in her head were winding together into an incoherent mess.

Heather forced herself to take a deep breath. "I… I need to go for a walk."

"Okay," Ellie said. She shrugged. "You can always stay too. If you need to."

"Thanks," Heather said. She hugged Ellie. "For everything."

"Your welcome," Ellie said, returning the hug.

Heather rose and grabbed her sweater, suddenly feeling thirsty. "Do you mind if I take a water bottle?"

"Knock yourself out."

Heather left the room and grabbed a water bottle from under the sink. Arata following close behind, Heather walked outside into the cool night air and took a deep breath. She curled her toes into the grass. It didn't make her feel any better.

Heather shivered slightly in her dress as the wind picked up. After attempting to calm her nerves with a drink of water, she let out an annoyed sigh.

Heather heard a twig snap and turned quickly, her hand drifting to her sweater pocket. She forced herself to relax when Matthew walked forward from down the street.

They made eye contact before Matthew nodded and moved toward the front door of the house.

Heather forced herself to say something. "I'm sorry I ruined you and Ellie's night."

Matthew turned. "You didn't," he replied. "I'm sorry that the night didn't go the same for you and Joey."

Heather shrugged and looked between Matthew and the house she'd just exited. "You left because you figured I'd come, didn't you?" she asked.

It was Matthew's turn to shrug. "I needed a walk anyway."

"They don't help much, do they? The walks," Heather said, avoiding the temptation to look behind her at Joey's house.

"Not really," Matthew admitted, looking away. "Not when there isn't a destination."

"Well, thanks for the privacy," Heather said appreciatively.

"It's nice having somebody to trust," Matthew said, stepping toward Heather and away from his house. "Isn't it?"

"Trust is… complicated," Heather said.

"No argument here," Matthew replied, looking at the sky for a moment.

Heather studied him for a moment and turned down the street. "Goodnight."

"Heather," Matthew called.

Heather turned around.

Matthew placed his hands in his sweater pockets and lowered his voice. "Even now, after living in Jackson for years, I have a relatively small circle of true trust."

"Small circles of any kind of trust are better than anything out there," Heather said, looking at the moon.

"That's one of the reasons I avoided people for so long," Matthew agreed. He sighed. "When I first got to Jackson, everyone was kind. Everyone was nice. Everyone asked if I needed help with anything."

"Nice change," Heather commented, remembering her first few days in Jackson.

"But then there were some who just… did things. Gave me a home. Welcomed me into their lives," Matthew said. He looked Heather in the eye. "I never asked. They never asked either. Not for anything. Those people…"

Heather glanced at Joey's house before looking at Matthew again.

Matthew nodded, almost to himself. "Those were the people I've discovered that I can trust. They're also the one's that I've come to trust more than I've ever trusted anyone."

Matthew turned, walking into his house without a word.

Heather turned and looked down the road again. She took a deep, shuddering breath and nodded. _Please God, don't be wrong._ She walked up to Joey's house and knocked on the door.

Joey answered a few seconds later, still dressed in the outfit that he had worn to the party. "Hey," he said, awkwardly.

"Hey," Heather said just as awkwardly. She fell silent, completely forgetting what she was going to say. She gulped. "I didn't wake you up, did I?"

"No," Joey said quietly. "I couldn't sleep."

"Me either," Heather said.

Joey put his hands in his pants pockets. "Look, about the way I acted earlier. I was little out of—"

Heather quickly leaned up and kissed Joey on the lips.

Joey returned the kiss.

After two seconds, they separated.

"Okay…" Joey said looking down for a second. "Okay, so… I'm confused."

They both looked down for a moment.

Heather smiled. _That felt… right._ Heather looked around. "I know it's late, but… do you want to want to…"

"Go for a walk?" Joey offered.

"Yeah," Heather said, feeling relieved. "A walk would be great."

Joey nodded and walked back into the house for a moment before emerging with the shoes Heather had worn to the party. "Mom said you could keep these," he said.

Heather chuckled and grabbed the shoes. "I'm probably not going to wear these again."

"I sure as hell am not going to wear them," Joey said with a shrug.

They started walking with no particular destination in mind.

"It wasn't you," Heather said after a while. "Tonight… it wasn't you."

"I've been told that if a girl says, 'it's not you, it's me', it's probably me," Joey said uncertainly.

"It's not _me_ either," Heather said carefully. She sighed. "Not completely."

"I still don't understand," Joey said after a minute. "I kissed you and… you kissed back. And then you—"

"I know," Heather said, sharper than intended. She gulped and spoke quieter. "I know. And it's a long story."

Joey opened his mouth to reply but stopped when they heard somebody coughing.

It was then that Heather realized they were standing outside the bar. The building was completely dark now. The party had long since ended.

They heard the coughing again followed by the sound of vomiting.

"Sounds like I made a smart choice in not drinking," Joey commented.

Heather and Joey slowly walked around the building to the source of the sound.

"Steven?" Joey asked, squinting in the darkness.

The figure straightened up and walked toward them, supporting itself on the side of the building.

Heather couldn't help but tense up at the sight of Steven.

"You look like shit," Joey commented, his voice held a small amount of tension.

"I feel like shit," Steven admitted. He blinked several times. "Your dad and Marcus cut me off a few minutes after you… oh God."

"Yeah," Joey said, allowing anger to enter his voice. "Tonight was not one of your finer moments."

"I'm so sorry," Steven said quickly, looking from Joey to Heather. "To both of you. I have never been drunk before and I… let's face it. I have no excuse."

"Damn right," Heather grunted.

Steven stepped forward again, holding his hands up. "You guys can hit me if you want."

Heather glanced at Joey and saw a look on his face that suggested he was more than a little tempted.

Arata moved in front of Heather and hissed at Steven.

Steven looked between Joey and Heather again. "I really am sorry," he said to the pair lamely.

Joey looked at Heather.

Heather glared at Steven for a moment. She threw him the water bottle.

Steven fumbled his hands in the air and accidently dropped the water on the ground before bending over and picking it up.

"Drink a lot of that," Heather said sharply. "And next time a girl says stop…"

"Understood," Steven said, with a hint of fear. He looked at Joey.

Joey sighed. "It's Jackson, Steven. Nobody's going to stay mad at anyone forever. That being said, I think you should stick to one drink next time."

"I don't ever want to drink again," Steven groaned as he swallowed some water. "Thanks. And… sorry."

Steven turned and half walked, half staggered down the street.

"Are you guys just leaving?"

Heather and Joey turned and saw Tim and Vanessa walking toward them, also still dressed in their party outfits.

Vanessa had an arm wrapped around Tim's shoulder.

"We're just out for a walk," Heather said.

"As what?" Vanessa asked.

Heather looked at Joey, who shrugged.

"What are you two doing out so late?" Joey asked.

"Tim's just walking me home to get some stuff," Vanessa answered.

"Where have you been?" Heather asked.

"We decided to tell Clarisse that Vanessa's going to be spending a bit more time around the house and everywhere else," Tim answered.

Heather and Joey exchanged smiles.

Tim scratched the back of his head. "Clarisse was pretty enthused."

"Well, congratulations," Heather said, hugging Vanessa.

Joey shook hands with Tim and hugged Vanessa.

"Welcome to the family," Joey said to Vanessa. "Now run… seriously. It's probably safest for you to run."

Everyone laughed.

Tim and Vanessa said their goodbyes and continued walking.

Heather turned to look at the bar.

"You wanna keep going?" Joey asked.

"It's probably trashed in there," Heather said after a moment. She looked at Joey. "Would you mind helping me clean up? I don't want to leave it all for Ellie."

"Sure," Joey said, taking the hint.

"Wow," Heather said upon entering and looking at the mess.

"Yeah…" Joey said, placing Heather's heels on top of the bar. "I guess Jackson knows how to party."

The was bar riddled with trash. From the floor, to the chairs, to the bar top, there were old food wrappers, glass bottles, plastic bottles, and cans everywhere. A few of the chairs were overturned. The CD player still sat on the edge of the bar.

Joey exited the building and returned with a couple of large trash bins.

Heather placed her sweater with the scalpel on the bar.

"What the hell are we going to do with all this trash?" Heather asked, taking a bin and picking up a bottle.

"Same thing we do with the rest," Joey answered, taking the other bin and grabbing a wrapper. "We're gonna collect it, find out where the rats, mice, and rodents, are getting in, and set up poison."

"Just let me know where so I don't let Arata near the place," Heather said as her cat walked into the building and hopped up on the bar.

"If the furball would just make itself useful and kill the rodents, we could find something else to do with the trash," Joey replied.

Arata hissed at him before hopping down from the bar and onto the couch.

Heather smiled and grabbed a few more bottles. "The cat's gotten lazy over the years."

Joey picked up a bottle and threw it in the bin before facing Heather. He sighed. "Heather, I just want you to know. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to."

"But you want me to," Heather assumed.

"Yes," Joey answered.

"It's a lot," Heather warned.

"I've got nowhere to be," Joey replied.

"That's not what I mean," Heather said, looking away.

Joey briefly placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know," he said quietly.

Heather nodded and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them.

As they continued to clean, Heather let everything out. She didn't notice if she had shed any tears.

Joey said nothing. He kept his expression guarded.

Heather got through the worst of her memories and hoped that she didn't sound as weak or scared as she once felt. She took several deep breaths as she finished and wiped her eyes only to find that there were no tears, wet or dry.

They finished cleaning the bar in silence.

Heather had no idea what to say. She hoped that she hadn't said too much.

"I'm sorry," Joey said finally. He looked at Heather. "I'm sorry I kissed you. If I had… If I'd… I'm sorry."

Heather swallowed. "Does this change anything?" she asked, fearing the answer to the question she'd hoped that she would never have to ask. "All this shit about me. Does it change anything?"

Joey didn't answer right away. He put the last piece of trash in his bin before looking at Heather. "Why would it?" he asked simply. "The way I see it, people can't be defined on what they're forced to do or go through out there. This just… makes things a little clearer. But it doesn't change anything for me."

Heather nodded, unsure of what to say next. She picked up some trash they had missed behind the bar.

"If you want to just be friends…" Joey said, causing Heather to turn to him. Joey stepped back. "I completely understand. I'll back off. I'll never try to… I'll be just as happy staying friends. You're like, the first _real_ friend I ever had in my life. I don't want to lose that. No matter what."

Heather found her herself smiling. "Joey, you're the first friend I _ever_ had. And for the record…" Heather walked up to Joey and kissed him on the cheek. "I'm not sorry you kissed me."

"So, was that a yes?" Joey said hopefully.

Heather didn't answer.

After a few seconds, Joey turned, walked over to the bar. and grabbed Heather's shoes, tossing them to her. Then he walked to the CD player and turned it on.

Heather just stared at him.

Joey ignored the questioning look and flipped through a few tracks before finding a slower song.

"I can barely walk in these," Heather said, looking at the heels. "How the hell am I supposed to dance?"

"Oh, so you _want_ to dance now," Joey said, returning to her.

Heather sighed and started to put her heels on. "I _was_ comfortable at the party."

"So was I," Joey replied.

Joey cautiously reached forward for her right hand with his left. Heather took the hand. Joey slowly spun her in a circle, walked them back three steps, spun her again, and took three steps forward before gently and cautiously placing a hand on her back.

After stumbling a few times and getting re-used to the shoes, Heather raised an eyebrow. "When did you learn how to dance?"

"Let's just say my mother use to make me do some embarrassing things," Joey said, looking at their feet for a moment.

"So, she made you learn to dance because…" Heather said as they moved in a circle.

"She wanted me to be able to do it at a wedding," Joey said, blushing slightly. He almost stepped on Heather's foot as he faltered. Joey looked away. "Sorry. It's been a while."

"When did she let you stop?" Heather asked.

"When I started hanging out with a friend more," Joey answered.

Heather chuckled.

"And you didn't answer my question before," Joey continued. "Do you want to stay close friends or be… more than friends."

Heather smiled evilly and did another spin under his arm.

"I hate it when you do that," Joey said with a chuckle of his own.

"Do what?" Heather asked innocently.

"The whole 'silent treatment'," Joey answered. He placed his hand on her back again. "You did that for, like, two days when you first got here."

"I gave you my name eventually," Heather reminded him.

"After I asked more than a few times. Anyway, it was nice to hear you speak," Joey said. He stopped them for a moment. "Any chance of getting an answer for _this_ question?"

The song ended.

Heather still didn't answer. She felt the lump in her throat fade away. She felt truly happy. Then she glanced at the couch next to the bar.

Joey followed her gaze to the couch.

Heather thought for a moment. _I need to know…_

"You okay?" Joey asked.

Heather grabbed his hand. "C'mon," she said, leading him to the couch.

"What are we doing?" Joey asked.

"I'm doing an experiment," Heather said. She pointed to the end of the couch. "Sit."

"Should I be afraid?" Joey asked as he sat down.

"Why would _you_ be afraid?" Heather asked.

"Last time I let a girl do an experiment on me, I ended up with the worst haircut of my life," Joey replied.

Heather looked at him curiously.

Joey looked down. "And that is why Ellie is never coming near me with scissors again."

Heather smiled and sat next to him on the couch, her fear and nervousness returning.

"So, what are we doing again?" Joey asked.

"Kiss me," Heather said simply.

It was Joey's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Because you want to," Heather replied.

Joey didn't move.

Heather sighed and looked at her sweater on the bar, then at the couch. She spoke softly. "I need to make sure of something. I need to know that it wasn't…"

"Me?" Joey offered. He looked away. "You want to know that the memories weren't…"

"Us," Heather corrected. "I need to make sure it wasn't _us_."

"What if it was?" Joey asked.

Heather leaned forward and kissed him again.

Joey kissed back almost immediately.

Once again, Heather felt herself relaxing as she leaned back onto the couch.

As they continued to kiss, Heather purposefully grabbed the cushion underneath her and yanked, causing an unsuspecting Joey to fall forward.

Heather closed her eyes in trepidation as Joey's weight pressed against her and… _nothing._

Joey broke the kiss and sat up. "Did you just…?

"Yeah," Heather said, sitting up. "That was me."

"And?"

"Nothing," Heather replied.

Joey remained silent, as if unsure of how to interpret her answer.

Heather shrugged. "Well there was _something_. But nothing bad."

After another silence, Joey and Heather both yawned simultaneously and laughed.

"Long night," Heather commented as they stood from the couch.

"Depends on your definition of when night ends," Joey said as they walked out of the bar and closed the door behind them. "I'm pretty sure that technically it's tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is not tomorrow until I wake up," Heather countered.

Joey held out his burnt arm. "Tell it to the arm that kept me up for twenty-four hours once."

"You had company," Heather said, bumping shoulders with him.

"That's true," Joey said, thinking of the walkie-talkie's they each kept. He stopped and lowered his voice. "I was um… I was really hoping we'd use those tonight."

"I tried," Heather said, speaking just as quietly. "I really—"

"I tried too," Joey said. He shrugged. "I just didn't know what to say."

"Me either," Heather said. She ran a hand through her hair and found it a mess. "I'm just glad that we ended up talking in person."

"That's how I've always preferred it," Joey admitted. "So… can I walk you home?"

Heather smiled slightly. "Are you walking me home or is this one of those times that you're walking _with_ me to my home and I'm really just—"

"Would you answer the damn question," Joey groaned.

"Sure," Heather answered with another smile. "You can walk me home."

They reached Heather's house sometime later. Heather found that her hand was unknowingly intertwined with Joey's. She gave it a squeeze before letting go.

"See you tomorrow?" Heather asked.

"You mean later today?" Joey retorted.

"Shut up," Heather said, turning toward the door.

"Can I ask you something?"

Heather turned back to Joey.

Joey spoke slowly and carefully. "At the party, you pushed me away. Then at my place, you… and then at the bar not knowing whether or not… why?"

Heather thought before answering. She decided to go with the truth. "To show myself that I can. And…because I wanted to."

"Well, I've wanted to since…" Joey allowed his voice to trail off. His face turned red and he looked away. "I think I'm just going to shut up before I embarrass myself more."

"I'm curious to know what the end of that sentence was," Heather commented.

Arata trotted down the street toward them.

Heather knelt and pet the cat as it nudged her feet. "But I'll spare you that for another time."

"How about tomorrow night?" Joey offered.

"Wow," Heather said with a chuckle as she stood. "That was quick."

Joey shrugged. "My mom and dad are forcing me to take the night off so that I can have dinner _with_ them rather than eating right before I pass out. I think it'd be nice to—"

"Show me off?" Heather offered teasingly.

"That's not where I was going," Joey insisted, holding up a hand in surrender. "I just… tonight's reminded me how much I like hanging out with you."

"Alone?" Heather asked, mischievously pushing every button she could. "If you like hanging out with just me, then why do your parents have to be there?"

"Please don't make me eat with them alone," Joey begged, earning a laugh from Heather. Joey smiled. "You know how they are. They're going to ask questions and dissect my life for the thousandth time and I really don't feel that I can take that again."

"And then?" Heather pressed stepping a little closer.

"And then maybe we can hang out some more… alone," Joey finished. "You can tell me how your first appointment as 'Jackson's Official Doctor' went."

Heather looked up at the sky. "Shit… that's in like, eight hours," she said, looking at Joey again. "I'll see you tomorrow night."

"Good," Joey said. He thought for a moment and shook his head. "My parents are going to have a field day with this."

"Just think about what Ellie's going to have waiting," Heather added.

"And there goes a possibility of me sleeping tonight," Joey said with a sigh.

They stood silently for a moment.

Arata walked out from behind Heather's legs and looked at Joey.

"You have anything to say?" Joey asked the cat.

Arata nudged Joey's legs and sat next to Heather.

"Okay, now the cat's being weird," Joey said. He looked at Heather. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Heather said. She watched as Joey made his way down the street and turned the corner. Heather knelt again and grabbed Arata. "Since when do you like boys?"

Heather walked into her house and got dressed for bed, depositing the heels in her closet. She realized with a jolt of panic that she had left the scalpel at the bar.

Arata jumped up on Heather's bed and curled up into a ball.

Heather took a deep breath and sat down next to the cat, scratching it behind the ears. She reached down and grabbed the fallen walkie-talkie from the floor, placing it on her bedside table.

Heather laid back. _I don't need the scalpel. I don't need it._ Heather closed her eyes and opened them a minute later. She grabbed the walkie-talkie, tucking it behind her second pillow. _Just in case._

 ** _…_**

Joey opened the front door to his house and walked inside, tossing aside the key.

"You're home late," his father commented, looking at him from the chair he'd been dozing in. He was dressed in his brown pajamas. "You're night that good or that bad?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," Joey said, now utterly exhausted. "I'll talk to you guys tomorrow night at dinner."

Joey walked up the stairs without a word.

"Joey," his mom said from the door to his parent's bedroom. She walked down the hall, dressed in her white night gown, and placed hand on her son's shoulder. "I'm happy for you."

Joey watched his mother walk down the stairs. _How does she always know?_ He walked into his room and fell onto his bed, making sure to place his walkie-talkie on his bedside table. _Just in case._

 ** _…_**

Ellie slowly closed the front door of her house and smiled as she rejoined Matthew in the bed. She laid down and flipped the covers back over them.

Ellie glanced at Matthew who was lying perfectly still.

"You're not asleep yet," Ellie said.

"Nope," Matthew said, turning toward her.

"It'll be fine," Ellie assured him. "I saw Joey when he walked home."

"I thought you were going to wait until tomorrow before you started snooping," Matthew said, reaching forward and moving a loose strand of hair from Ellie's eye.

"I don't snoop," Ellie argued. "I… I keep an eye out for my friends."

"By snooping," Matthew said.

Ellie punched him in the shoulder.

"Backing off," Matthew said with a smile.

Ellie smiled and closed her eyes. "I had fun tonight. Even though our dance was interrupted."

"Does that mean you're expecting a redo?" Matthew asked, feigning fear.

"Well, not right now," Ellie said. She leaned up and placed his arm around her. "But, you know, in the future it would be nice."

"You talk about the future a lot more than you used to," Matthew commented, grasping her hand.

"I guess I feel safe enough to think about it now," Ellie said. She yawned. "And the immediate future should be devoted to sleep. Goodnight, Matthew."

 ** _…_**

Matthew didn't answer. He laid in the bed for hours afterward, his eyes wide open. He thought about the future. The future with Ellie. The future he longed for. The future he also dreaded. The future he saw that he didn't know how to talk about.


	17. Special: Part I

One year following the events of "Joey and Heather Part II"

Ellie and Matthew laid embraced in the hammock they had created over eight years ago.

Ellie broke her kiss to pull down her red shirt, which had started to bunch up over her blue jeans. A cool spring breeze swept through the air and whipped Matthew's hair from around his shoulder and into Ellie's mouth.

Ellie blew and spat the hair out of her mouth.

"Having issues?" Matthew asked with a laugh.

Ellie nudged him with a shoulder, rocking the hammock. "When are you going to cut your hair? You talked about doing it."

"I was _thinking_ about it," Matthew corrected. He shrugged. "But then one of the little girls at Clarisse's school told me that guys couldn't have long hair."

"So, you won't cut your hair because a little girl called you out?" Ellie asked, raising an eyebrow. "Wow. And I thought _I_ took things personally."

Matthew kissed Ellie's cheek as she reached over his head with two fingers shaped like scissors.

"Don't touch my hair," Matthew grunted as Ellie smiled and returned the kiss.

Ellie glanced at the afternoon sun. "With all the double shifts we're pulling between you on the Wall and me at the shop and the Foundation, I think a day off was a pretty cool idea."

"Too bad we couldn't pull it off," Matthew said, twisting her hair lightly. "You're still heading up the meeting tonight and I volunteered to help Tim out with scouting the fence, making sure all of it's still running."

"You _do_ still have the best hearing in Jackson," Ellie reminded him.

"It's not as good as it used to be," Matthew replied. "But I still want to do my part."

"And I thought it was because you promised Clarisse that you wouldn't let Tim go over the Wall without you," Ellie said, kissing Matthew again. "I always thought you were a pretty good big brother."

Matthew grunted. "Yeah. Plus, I don't need the guilt if something goes wrong," he said quietly, pulling down on his black sweater and blue jeans.

Ellie glared at him.

Matthew nodded. "Sorry. I know you don't like me thinking that way about myself, but… it's still a reflex sometimes."

"You know," Ellie said lightly, resting her forehead against his. "I know this place in Jackson. It's kinda been around for about, oh I don't know, five years. And it's been known to help with 'old reflexes'. You _could_ attend or volunteer."

"Still not my scene. I'll leave the hard stuff to you," Matthew said simply, closing his eyes. "I don't know if I could handle the memories and emotions that come with your job."

"Yeah," Ellie said as she poked his side, hoping her next words would sound casual. "If the big, tough crossbow badass can't handle stories, I'd hate to see what our kids would think when they asked what mommy talked about at work today."

Matthew's eyes snapped open. "That was subtle, Ellie," he said, his voice holding no humor. "Real subtle."

"It was just a joke," Ellie attempted to say innocently.

"Right," Matthew said, rolling out of the hammock. He started mumbling. "Just like all the other times. Here we go again with this—"

"Well you aren't exactly rolling out the conversation starters," Ellie said, starting to get frustrated. She rolled out of the hammock herself. "All I want to do is—"

"Are we really going to go through this again?" Matthew asked, rolling his eyes.

"Go through _what_ again?" Ellie challenged.

"We've been over this," Matthew said firmly.

Ellie scoffed and held her hands out. "When have ever fucking talked about this, Matthew? Go on, tell me. When?"

Matthew shook his head and started walking toward the edge of the trees concealing their hangout spot.

"Where are you going?" Ellie asked.

"I've got to get my gear ready," Matthew answered, not turning to her.

"Of course you do," Ellie said bitterly. "Because when you don't want to talk, you just find a reason to disappear."

Matthew didn't answer.

Ellie took a step forward. "Look, I'm not saying we just pop 'em out right here, but I'd like you to at least talk to—"

"You want to talk?" Matthew snapped as he turned to Ellie. "Talk at your meetings."

Ellie glared at him. "Fine."

Matthew turned to walk away and stopped, sighing. "I'm sorry," he said quietly.

Ellie folded her arms, speaking just as quietly. "Don't give me that shit. Because I'm not taking it anymore. You don't want to talk to me, be that way. But don't say you're 'sorry' when we both know you don't mean it."

Matthew continued walking. "I'll talk to you later," he said crisply.

"We'll see," Ellie whispered.

Ellie waited ten minutes, then walked out of the park, not looking at Clarisse who was sitting on the swings with Lin.

 ** _…_**

"So, how'd my… what is it called again?" Joey asked Heather as she took her stethoscope off his chest.

"Check-up," Heather answered, letting the device hang down her white shirt and blue jeans. She rose from the couch and packed up her medical supplies, stuffing them into a bag. "And it went pretty well. Your body isn't as bruised up as it was last time."

"Last time, you caught me two hours after training with Matthew," Joey replied repositioning the walkie-talkie on his hip.

"You were also about ten pounds overweight," Heather continued, setting the bag on the table and returning to the couch.

"The scale said I'm about the same," Joey said, confused.

"Last time it was fat," Heather explained. "This time it's muscle."

Joey raised an eyebrow. "You didn't tell me I was _fat_ last time."

"That's because I'm a nice girl," Heather said with a smile, sitting down next to him and folding her legs up under her.

"Thanks," Joey said. He glanced at Heather's bag. "I thought that Steven was supposed to do routine check-ups."

"I usually let him," Heather said. "But I've barely seen you in a week because of the shifts you're taking."

"I have no issue with the schedule change," Joey admitted. "How's Steven doing anyway?"

"He learns fast," Heather answered. She smiled mischievously. "He still thinks I'm pissed at him for what happened last year. So, he doesn't complain when I ask him to do a few appointments here and there."

"He _has_ been sincere," Joey said quietly. "A nice girl would give the guy a break."

"The 'nice girl' set up his next appointment with his crush down the street," Heather countered. "So, in the end, he'll owe me one."

"I still owe him one for taking my shift last month when I was puking my guts out," Joey said. He shrugged. "So, any advice as to what I'm missing in my check-up so that I know what to do for next time? That's how you usually end your appointments, right?"

"Well, you are missing something," Heather said.

"What's that?" Joey asked.

Heather leaned forward and kissed Joey, placing her hand on his chest.

Joey returned the kiss as the front door opened.

Ellie walked in. "Heather, I—"

Heather broke the kiss and leaned back.

"What are you two doing?" Ellie asked, looking at Joey's green shirt on the table.

"Check-up," Joey answered lamely, reaching for the shirt and putting it on.

"Ew. Whatever, I don't care," Ellie said quickly, wiping her eyes. "Heather, do you have a sec?"

"You alright?" Heather asked, concerned.

"You look like you've been…" Joey's voice trailed off. He looked between Ellie and Heather. "This is one of the times that I should leave, isn't it?"

"Date day Matthew ended on a bad note?" Heather asked, ignoring Joey.

"You could say that," Ellie said, sitting on the chair across from them. She looked at Heather. "We got into it… again. About that thing that I told you about."

Joey's walkie-talkie chimed. "Joey, I need a favor."

Joey stood and walked toward the door as Heather and Ellie continued to talk. "What's up, Janet," he asked as held the walkie-talkie to his mouth.

"I just remembered that Marcus was going to help out with the meeting tonight and I couldn't find my kid a babysitter," Janet answered. "I know this is short notice, but would you mind taking my shift on the Wall this afternoon so I can watch her tonight?"

Joey glanced behind him as Ellie raised her voice slightly.

"And now he says he'll fucking 'talk to me later'," Ellie was saying angrily to Heather.

"He _does_ sleep in the same room as you," Heather said to Ellie.

"Not tonight he won't," Ellie said bitterly. "When he gets back with Tim—"

"Wait," Joey interrupted. He walked over to Ellie. "You two got into an argument, he won't talk to you, and now he's going out _there_?"

"The fact that he's going out there doesn't bother me," Ellie snapped.

"It bothers me," Joey grunted under his breath.

Heather gave him a confused look.

Joey's walkie-talkie chimed again. "Joey, you still there?"

"Yeah…" Joey said. He shook his head and answered his walkie-talkie. "Yeah, Janet. I can take a shift. What uh… which part of the Wall."

"East side."

Joey shook his head. _Damn. Matthew's heading out the south side._ He spoke into the walkie-talkie again. "I'll head over now."

"Thanks, Joey."

"No problem," Joey said. He looked at Heather and Ellie. "I'll um, I'll see you two tonight for dinner."

"Sorry I ruined… whatever I ruined," Ellie said, a small amount of guilt on her face.

Joey and Heather exchanged a smile.

 ** _…_**

Sometime later, Ellie hugged Heather. "Thanks for listening."

"It's my job," Heather said.

"Technically, it's my…" Ellie shook her head. "Thanks again."

Heather opened the front door. "You and Matthew aren't having—"

"No," Ellie groaned. "For the last time, we're not. Its… I guess it's just complicated,

okay?"

"Okay," Heather said with a nod. "Backing off. I just figured I'd ask."

"What about you and Joey?" Ellie asked, forcing a smile.

"No," Heather answered, allowing Ellie to have her fun.

Ellie nodded herself. She looked out the window. "I should be getting home now. I promised Joel I'd practice with him. And I was still going to do some work at the shop before the meeting too."

"Alright," Heather said. She looked around. "I gotta clean up the house for tonight anyway."

Ellie walked home and found Joel already sitting on the couch. He was wearing a green flannel shirt and blue jeans. Ellie's guitar laid on the chair across from him.

Ellie held up a hand in greeting.

Joel looked at her curiously before shrugging and grabbing his own guitar.

Ellie went to the bathroom and washed her face before exiting, almost bumping into Matthew.

"Sorry," Matthew said softly, stepping back.

"I thought you'd left," Ellie said, unable to meet his eye.

"I'm leaving now," Matthew answered, looking down. "I guess Vanessa's going to join us. So we had to push it back an hour."

"Tell her I said hi," Ellie grunted.

Ellie walked past Matthew and sat across from Joel, picking up her guitar. She looked up as Matthew exited the house without a word.

Ellie and Joel played for a short time.

Ellie immediately started making mistakes and could barely get halfway through the song that they had perfected before returning to Jackson County years ago.

"You haven't had trouble with this song in a long time," Joel observed.

"I know," Ellie said.

They tried the song again and didn't get more than a few notes in before Ellie stopped and set down her guitar.

Joel didn't speak. He just waited.

Ellie sighed. "My morning was great until a couple hours ago."

"I take it you and the kid's date didn't end well," Joel said.

"We had a fight," Ellie admitted.

"Must have been a big one," Joel said, setting his guitar aside. "Usually you two are over it after a few hours."

"Matthew sees the world one way," Ellie said, intertwining her fingers. "I see it another."

"Sounds like the same kind of issue that you and I used to have," Joel replied.

"It's not," Ellie said firmly. "I can guarantee that it's not the same."

Joel didn't speak for a few seconds. "Is this something you want to talk to me about, Ellie?"

Ellie opened her mouth to reply and closed it again. She looked down. "Every time that I talk about… even mention anything to do with kids… he won't talk to me."

Joel leaned forward. "Are you two—"

"No," Ellie said quickly. "What is with people and that question. No. We're not. That's not the problem. The problem is—"

"He doesn't talk to you," Joel completed. He ran a hand through his greying hair. "Having kids—"

"Which we're not trying to do," Ellie reminded him.

"Having kids is… it's a big responsibility," Joel continued carefully. "Especially these days."

"So, you're saying that I should just let this go," Ellie said, somewhat disappointed.

"No," Joel said, shaking his head and leaning forward. "No, what I'm saying is that it's definitely something you need to talk about."

"You should tell Matthew that," Ellie said.

"Do you want me to?"

Ellie shook her head. "No."

"How about a new song?" Joel suggested.

"Sure," Ellie said. She picked up her guitar. "And… thanks for not telling me what to do."

"Since when has that ever worked?" Joel grunted.

Ellie smiled.

 ** _…_**

Matthew returned to the house an hour later after traversing Jackson until he was sure Ellie wouldn't be home. He felt no better than he had after leaving Ellie at the park.

"You're home awful early for having gone over the Wall," Joel said from the kitchen table.

Matthew stood still, unsure of what to say.

"That's what I thought," Joel said, clearly disappointed. He pointed to the chess game already set up on the table. "Seeing as how Tommy mentioned that you, Tim, and Vanessa weren't leaving for another hour from _now_ , I think we have time for a game."

Matthew knew it wasn't a request. He sat down.

Joel sat down as well and immediately moved a knight piece. "Do you really think that lying to her is going to make this whole thing go away?"

Matthew sighed. "Look, sir. I know that you're just trying to help," he said calmly as he moved a pawn forward two spaces. "But this particular argument is not a problem you need to deal with."

Joel took out the pawn two quick moves later. "I think that you and I established what is and isn't my business when it comes to Ellie a long time ago, kid."

"She's ready for something that I'm not," Matthew said after a moment, keeping his eyes fixed game as he moved again.

"That's not how I would translate it," Joel said quietly, keeping up his aggressive strategy on the chess board.

"So, she did talk to you," Matthew grunted as they each made their moves in rapid succession.

"You used to encourage her to trust me," Joel reminded Matthew as he took out another one of the young man's pieces. "At least _one_ of you is willing to talk."

Matthew didn't answer.

Over the next half hour, Joel systematically took out the majority of Matthew's pieces and cornered his opponent's king with a queen. The game ended with a checkmate, making it the first time that Joel had beaten Matthew since returning to Jackson.

"Thanks for the game," Matthew said as finally he stood.

Joel stood with him. "You know, you're a big part of Ellie's life," he said calmly, but firmly. Joel continued as someone knocked on the door. "You want that to continue, I think there's some conversations to be had and words that need to be said."

Matthew didn't reply. He grabbed his crossbow and exited the house.

Matthew greeted Tim and Vanessa with nods.

Tim wore a blue sweater and jeans, while Vanessa wore a red coat and black pants. On each of their hips was a pistol. The group walked to the south side of the Wall in silence.

Clarisse met them at the ladder, wearing a loose-fitting red jacket and green jeans. She exchanged hugs with Vanessa and whispered something in Tim's ear.

Tim whispered a reply and hugged Clarisse himself.

The trio exited Jackson.

Matthew glanced behind him and saw Clarisse glaring in his direction.

 ** _…_**

Ellie watched out the window of the shop as Matthew hopped over the Wall. _I should have tried to talk to him again._

"Is there someone I need to shoot?" the shopkeeper asked from behind her, wearing a brown shirt and pants.

"I'll let you know," Ellie replied, turning away from the window.

 ** _…_**

Matthew didn't speak as the trio walked the short distance to the electric fence. He noticed but did not acknowledge the fact that Tim had been glancing at him repeatedly the entire time.

"Here we are," Vanessa said, staring at the softly humming electric fence a few feet away. She looked between Tim and Matthew. "How about I start at one end and we'll meet in the middle."

"Sounds good," Tim said appreciatively as Vanessa started jogging away. "Keep close to your walkie-talkie."

"Yup."

Tim turned to Matthew, speaking to him for the first time that day. "You've never had a good poker face when something's bothering you."

Matthew sighed. "How much do you know?" he asked as they started walking along the fence, looking for holes and listening for a lack of humming.

"As much as you're willing to tell me," Tim replied.

Matthew told Tim as much as he was willing.

They occasionally stopped to untangle a few long dead Infected that were unlucky enough to be caught in the working fence.

"…and now I've got Ellie _and_ Joel pissed off at me," Matthew said as they threw a dead Runner to the ground. "Ellie probably told Heather by now. Clarisse is mad cuz she and Lin probably overheard some of it, if not all of it. And… I really don't know what to do."

"You could, I don't know, talk about it with Ellie," Tim suggested.

Matthew shook his head and didn't reply.

"You want my opinion?" Tim asked as they continued walking along the fence.

"Why not," Matthew said, letting out a breath.

"You're a fucking idiot."

Matthew couldn't help but laugh. "I'm actually surprised you had the guts to say that to me," he said to Tim.

"Well, now that the shock has worn off," Tim said as they stopped. "Let me say it again. You're a fucking idiot."

Matthew took a deep breath. "Why am I an idiot?"

Tim looked around before answering calmly. "You meet this girl… another survivor whose main goal isn't to _kill_ you at that very moment. She _asks_ to come with you. She _saves_ you more times than you can possibly remember. She waits and waits and waits until you're ready to talk to her, all while _defending_ you from her… whatever she considers Joel, and when you _do_ finally talk, she takes it all and _still_ wants you in her life."

Matthew opened his mouth to interrupt.

Tim held up his hand and continued. "You tried to leave her _twice_ out here, Matthew. She still forgave you. She gave you everything that is hers. A house. A family. Put yourself in my shoes and think of all the shit I pulled when I was drinking. Despite her anger, rightfully placed I might add, she still helped."

Matthew closed his mouth.

"She gave you part of her _life,_ so you could have one," Tim said firmly. "And after all that, you're not even going to try talking to her?"

Matthew was at a complete loss for words.

Tim shook his head and turned away. "You're a fucking idiot."

Before Matthew could even try to think of a reply, Vanessa walked forward.

"All good?" Tim asked lightly.

"Depends," Vanessa said. She looked at Tim, then turned to Matthew, speaking sternly. "What did you say to him?"

"He didn't," Tim said before Matthew had to answer. He looked at the fence. "Other than a few bodies, nothing eventful."

"Easy day," Vanessa said, holding out her hand to Tim.

Tim grabbed her hand, squeezing it. "How about we save the 'easy day' stuff for when we get back."

Vanessa smiled and they started walking back to Jackson.

Matthew stayed where he was. He looked at Vanessa and Tim's intertwined hands. Matthew rubbed his forehead with the heel of his hand for a moment and began to follow. _I am a fucking idiot._

A half hour later, they reached the Wall of Jackson. Tim gave Vanessa a boost. Matthew then gave Tim a boost a few seconds later. Tim reached down and grabbed Matthew's hand allowing him to climb up on top of a bus.

"I'll see you tonight," Vanessa said to Tim.

"Yeah," Tim said, giving her a small kiss on the cheek.

Vanessa jumped down and made her way across the street.

"Tim," Matthew called as the younger man prepared to jump down.

Tim stopped.

Matthew chuckled. "When uh… when did you grow up to be so smart."

Tim smiled at the ground. "I met two survivors in this barn. They give me what I needed to keep my sister safe."

"These two survivors," Matthew said slowly. "Were they smart?"

"Smart enough. Although, I always thought one of them didn't know what he was missing," Tim said with a shrug. He looked Matthew in the eye. "I was really glad that when he came to Jackson, it looked like he'd opened his eyes."

Matthew nodded as Tim hopped down and walked down the street.

After giving his report to a woman on the Wall, Matthew took a deep breath and looked at the sky. _It's about four… Ellie should be—_

"Matthew," Joey called from down the street below.

Matthew hopped down as Joey reached him. "Joey."

"Hey," Joey said, walking forward and stopping in front of Matthew. "You remember what I told you the first time we met?"

"Yeah," Matthew answered slowly. _Here we go…_ "Danger, harm, or trouble, and it won't end well for me."

"Just making sure," Joey said, his voice light. "So where are you headed?"

"Well," Matthew said casually. "I was going to go home, take a quick shower, and—"

Joey caught Matthew completely off guard with a right cross, sending him to the ground.

"Damn…" Matthew said, shaking his head quickly.

Matthew slowly rose to his feet as a few people on the street and along the Wall stopped to watch. Glancing behind Joey, Matthew noticed Maria standing down the street, watching the encounter with folded arms.

"How dare you fucking go out there like that after having an argument," Joey said quietly so only Matthew could hear. "I've watched my parents, my uncle, and Ellie leave, not knowing if they were going to make it back. I understand the shit that happens out there now. If you hadn't come back, you not talking to Ellie would be the last thing that she would remember."

Matthew didn't argue. He brought a hand to his face and was surprised to find that he had a bloody lip.

"Where are you headed?" Joey asked again, his fists unclenching.

"I'm headed to see Ellie," Matthew said, correcting his previous answer.

"Good," Joey said, relaxing.

Matthew wiped his lip. "That was a good punch," he said with a nod. "I honestly didn't see it coming."

"I'll see you tonight," Joey said as if nothing had happened. He turned and walked past his mother and down the street.

Matthew shook his head and wiped his lip again.

Maria walked forward. "What the hell was that about?" she asked sharply.

"It was nothing I didn't deserve, ma'am," Matthew said.

Maria nodded and handed Matthew a rag and a water bottle. "You taught my son, well."

"That was a hell of a lot faster than anything I taught him," Matthew said, taking a drink of water.

Maria relaxed, a small smile forming on her lips.

Matthew let out a chuckle. "Out of curiosity, is there anyone in your family who _can't_ put my ass on the ground in one hit."

Maria folded her arms again. "My family looks out for its own."

"I knew that from the night I met Joel," Matthew said. He glanced at the Wall. "So, the fence is fine. We had to untangle a few bodies. But it should be good for another few months."

"Good," Maria said. She stepped forward, lowering her voice. "I'm expecting the _entire_ family to be at Heather's tonight."

"Understood," Matthew said.

 ** _…_**

Ellie stood in the back office of the Foundation, looking through the notes she had on the people who had shown up for the meeting that would start in a few minutes.

The door opened and Matthew walked in.

"What the fuck happened to _you_ ," Ellie grunted, her voice holding no sympathy. She started to gather up the papers.

"Joey," Matthew answered. He placed his hands in his pockets. "Well, Joey was the one that hit me anyway. Both him and Tim expressed certain… concerns."

"Must suck to be you right now," Ellie said crisply. She picked up the papers and walked over to one of the cabinets. "Is the fence good?"

"The fence is fine," Matthew said, joining her at the cabinet. "I was hoping—"

"I'm busy," Ellie interrupted sharply as she opened a drawer. "We can talk about this later."

Matthew took a step back as Ellie opened the drawer next to him. Matthew placed hand on the shelf. "I'm ready to talk, Ellie. And now, after waiting forever for me to get my head out of my ass, you're not even going to listen?"

Ellie hesitated before closing the drawer. She looked at Matthew. "You've got about two minutes."

"Fair enough," Matthew said. "I suppose I should start with saying I'm sorry."

"Familiar," Ellie said, rolling her eyes. She leaned against the cabinet. "Anything else."

"I don't like… this," Matthew said, leaning against the cabinet himself. "I hate being frustrated with you. I'm not a huge fan of you being mad at me either. And it's entirely my fault this time. I get that."

"Well, a least you have a good grasp of the situation," Ellie said. She moved to the desk and rested her hands on it.

"You're not planning on giving me anything here, are you?" Matthew asked.

"How about you give me something first," Ellie challenged, turning to him.

Matthew stood up straight. "I know you hate it when I don't talk to you. I know that pisses you off because that hasn't been a problem with us in I don't know how long," he said.

Ellie folded her arms.

Matthew swallowed before continuing. "There are certain… potential parts of normal life that still scare the living shit out of me. And when I'm scared… I still don't know how to talk about it."

"Joel said that most people don't," Ellie said. She ran a hand through her hair. She adopted a more sympathetic tone. "Matthew, I don't get mad when you stop talking to me."

"You feel like you're being left out of the loop?" Matthew suggested.

"Scared," Ellie corrected. She let out a breath. "I get scared when you're scared. Because you're the first one I want to go to when I get scared. And when you get scared, I get scared. And then I get pushy and—"

"We end up with dates going down the tubes," Matthew said with a small smile.

"And then some," Ellie said. She hopped up and sat on the desk. "I'd rather talk shit through than be scared."

"Let's talk," Matthew said. He stepped forward. "I'm ready."

Ellie thought for a moment and smiled, chuckling. "I know this is going to make me sound a tad bit hypocritical, but I think we've talked enough for now. But next time…"

"Next time," Matthew assured her.

Matthew turned to walk away.

"Thanks for coming to a meeting and sharing," Ellie teased.

Matthew stopped. After a few seconds, he returned to Ellie. Grabbing her hand, he spoke seriously. "Do you want to have kids, Ellie?"

Ellie didn't answer right away. "I don't know," she said truthfully. "I mean. Maybe someday, yeah. But not right now."

"So, we roll with the punches," Matthew said.

"Maybe you should try to avoid punches for a while," Ellie said, gently probing his lip with her thumb. "By the way, how does it feel being brought to the ground by a wimp?"

"Joey made his point," Matthew admitted. "And it was a good point to make. Give him a little break."

"Hey," Ellie said, acting offended. "I gave him and Heather plenty of breaks. Despite how hard it was, I only said 'I told you so' twice when they finally came out as being together."

"That multiplied by about three thousand," Matthew retorted.

"What'd I tell you about those punches?" Ellie warned lightly.

"I can probably take more than one punch a day," Matthew replied.

"Well," she leaned forward, planting a kiss on his lips. "You can _take_ that with you when you go."

The door to the office opened again and Marcus poked his head in. "Ellie… oh, hey Matthew. Ellie, everyone's ready."

"Thanks, Marcus," Ellie said. She looked at Matthew. "I have to go to work now."

"Here," Matthew said, giving her a kiss of his own. "Take that with you."

Ellie hopped off the desk and opened the door for him. "I'll see you at Heather's."

 ** _…_**

Matthew exited the Foundation and took a deep breath. He felt his stomach unclench and he began to relax. He looked up and saw that the sun was just starting to set.

Matthew began to move forward when Clarisse turned the corner.

"Hi, Clarisse," Matthew said.

The fourteen-year-old folded her arms. "You look happier. What about Ellie?"

"We got it figured out," Matthew promised.

"Good," Clarisse said. She looked at the door behind Matthew, seeming nervous. "Has the meeting started? I was hoping to catch Ellie before going to Heather's tonight."

"It just started," Matthew said.

Clarisse lowered her gaze and gulped.

Matthew put a hand on her shoulder. "Is everything okay?"

"It's fine," Clarisse said, looking away. "I was just… really hoping to catch Ellie."

"I'm available now," Matthew said. He shrugged. "I know that I'm not the one you usually come to, but…"

"It can wait," Clarisse assured him.

"But everything's okay?" Matthew asked again. "Everything's fine at school and home and other… personal matters?"

"Are you trying to ask me about boys?" Clarisse asked, smiling slightly. "Because you're kind of awkward at it."

"I'm awkward about a lot of things," Matthew admitted. He folded his arms. "But you still haven't answered the question."

"It has nothing to do with a boy," Clarisse said. She looked away. "Not a boy…"

"Clarisse," Lin said, walking down the street, wearing a loose-fitting black dress with transparent black sleeves.

Clarisse looked at Matthew as if asking permission to end the conversation.

"Looks like your other half is here," Matthew said nodding in Lin's direction. "Maybe you can talk to _her_."

Clarisse blushed.

Matthew gave Clarisse a look of confusion as she turned.

"Hi, Matthew," Lin said.

Matthew held up a hand in greeting.

Lin turned to Clarisse. "I'm sorry. My dad is having company over tonight. I won't be able to make it to Heather's."

"What kind of company?" Clarisse asked, lightly placing a hand on Lin's arm.

"The kind that I like but feel awkward about," Lin replied.

"His girlfriend," Clarisse guessed.

Lin laughed softly. "I wish they would get a room, but they're the adults. That would require _me_ to use _my_ room to avoid them but there's nothing to do there."

Matthew noticed Clarisse lowering her arm. Her hand rested on Lin's for a split second before dropping off.

"You want me to come rescue you?" Clarisse asked with a mischievous smile.

"Just because I have to miss the fun doesn't mean you do," Lin said. She put a hand on Clarisse's for a moment. "Just have fun for me, okay?"

"I will," Clarisse promised.

Lin said goodbye to Clarisse and Matthew and walked away.

Matthew watched Clarisse's hand slowly drop from hip-level to her side.

Clarisse turned to him.

"I'll make sure you get a minute with Ellie tonight," Matthew said quietly.

"Thanks," Clarisse said. She turned and walked down the opposite street.

Matthew looked between the teenage girls as they walked away.

Lin turned the corner and looked in Clarisse's direction before moving on.

Matthew glanced at Clarisse. She stared past him at the corner where Lin had turned before noticing Matthew and turning away herself.

Matthew looked at the ground as he put together pieces in his head. He nodded and chuckled. "Okay."

Matthew walked back to the house and took a long shower. After throwing on a nicer pair of blue jeans and a blue sweater, Matthew walked to the kitchen.

Joel entered the house as Matthew picked up an apple.

"You look like somebody punched you in the face," Joel observed.

Matthew laughed. "Yeah… I think I prefer the verbal beatings."

"No, you don't," Joel argued.

"You're probably right," Matthew said. He sat down at the table that still held the chess board. "I'd still like to figure out how you beat me earlier."

"I've got time," Joel replied. He sat down at the table and helped Matthew reset the pieces. "I take it you talked to Ellie."

Matthew nodded. "We talked."

"And?"

"No plans."

"Good."

Matthew hesitated before placing the knight back on the board. "I never really thanked you for giving me a home when I got here."

"It's what Ellie wanted," Joel replied.

"Still," Matthew said. "She didn't ask you. I didn't either. I'm still thankful."

"It was the right thing to do," Joel said simply.

 ** _…_**

A few hours later, Ellie had come home, showered, and put on a fresh pair of clothes. She wore a red flannel shirt and pair of clean blue jeans as well as a black sleeve Matthew had made for her.

A few minutes later, Ellie, Joel, Winston, and Matthew walked to Heather's house. Maria was already waiting outside with Tommy. Winston went straight into the house.

Tommy was dressed in his usual blue jeans and black sweater. There was a walkie-talkie attached to his hip and a beer in his hand.

Ellie and Joel stepped back as Tommy approached Matthew.

There were a few seconds of awkward silence before Tommy spoke calmly. "I heard about what happened earlier."

"I imagine everyone has by now," Matthew said carefully.

"Well, it is Jackson," Tommy said. He smiled. "Did it hurt?"

"Like hell," Matthew admitted.

"Was there a lesson learned?"

"Multiple," Matthew said.

"Well, then I guess there's no need to go into all of it again," Tommy said. He shrugged. "Not right now, at least."

Ellie saw Matthew relax and smiled.

"Do me a favor," Matthew said to Tommy. "Make sure that when this story starts to spread that everyone knows I deserved it."

"He did deserve it," Ellie added.

Matthew gave her a look that suggested he didn't find her comment helpful.

Heather walked out the door.

Joel and Tommy moved off to the side and started talking.

Ellie and Matthew stepped forward.

Heather glanced at Ellie. "Things been cleared up?"

"Clear enough," Ellie said with a shrug.

"Ellie," someone called from inside the house.

Ellie smiled at Matthew and entered the house.

 ** _…_**

Matthew prepared himself.

Heather stepped in front of him. "You know, Ellie's come to me for a few things over the years," she said quietly. "Before now, none of them have been you. I don't want a repeat. Am I understood?"

"Yes," Matthew said.

"Just remember," Heather said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Unlike everyone else here, I can make it look like an accident."

Heather patted Matthew's shoulder and walked back to the house, flashing him an evil smile before entering.

Matthew turned and looked at the sky.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Ration for your thoughts," Ellie said.

"That's funny," Matthew said sarcastically. He sighed and looked at Ellie. "What do you say to the world when you've had enough slaps in the face to learn your lesson?"

Ellie grabbed his hand. "Flip it the bird and keep going. It's always worked for me."

"Yeah…" Matthew said as they walked into the house. "My luck is not that good."

Upon entering, Matthew was handed a bottle of a water by Joey.

The younger man shrugged. "Most times, an apology for punching someone in the face would be necessary, but…" Joey's words trailed off.

"It's not," Matthew agreed.

"Well, that makes things less awkward," Joey said, grabbing a beer for himself.

 ** _…_**

A few hours later, Ellie found herself sitting on Heather's couch, laying on Matthew with her head resting gently on his shoulder.

Across from her in the armchair, Vanessa sat in Tim's lap. Clarisse sat on the floor next to them, working a drawing. Occasionally, she would stop to pet Winston when the dog would wander over.

On the other couch, Heather was laying across Joey's lap, her head resting on his legs and her hand intertwined with his.

Arata was curled up against Joey's side.

Outside, Ellie spotted Joel, Tommy, and Maria talking, each drinking a beer.

"…I have never seen Clarisse that pissed before," Vanessa was saying.

"That was a bad move on my part," Tim admitted.

"If you ever come near my hair with silly string again," Clarisse said, glaring at her brother. "My next drawing of you is not going to be pretty."

Everyone laughed.

Ellie glanced at Matthew and saw him and Clarisse exchanging a look.

Matthew sat up.

Ellie sat up as well and gave him a look of confusion as Clarisse rose and walked to her, giving Matthew an appreciative smile.

"I wanted to ask you something," Clarisse asked quietly as the others continued to converse.

"Ask away," Ellie said. "I'm all ears."

"How do you…" Clarisse gulped. "How do you tell somebody that… you like them."

"What was that?" Tim asked, obviously overhearing the last part.

"She asked how to tell someone you like them," Vanessa said. She poked Tim's side. "Be nice."

"I was just asking what she said," Tim said innocently. "I didn't even know she liked—"

"Shh!" Vanessa said, smiling.

Joey, overhearing the exchange, was never one to be silent. "Threaten him with a scalpel. And if that doesn't work, upgrade to a gun."

"You _gave_ me the gun," Heather said, looking up at him.

"That is true," Joey said. "Then I gave you a cat who would have gladly done the job for you."

Arata curled herself into a tighter ball at Joey's side as she started to purr.

Clarisse smiled, seeming half embarrassed and half amused.

"Try an arrow or a knife," Matthew suggested.

"Really, you guys?" Tim asked, placing a hand over his face. "Please don't give my sister any good or bad ideas."

"You could always pass him a note during class," Vanessa added.

Tim blushed.

Ellie raised an eyebrow. "You did _what_ at one of my meetings?"

Tim looked down, unable to meet her eye.

"Ballsy," Ellie said with a shrug.

"I thought it was cute," Vanessa said, smiling at Tim. "Plus, it worked."

"So, that's how you got her to the party last year," Joey said, exchanging a smile with Heather.

"Who are we talking about here, Clarisse?" Tim asked, obviously wanting to change the subject.

"Who's the lucky guy," Heather asked.

"Who's the lucky and hopefully not soon to be _dead_ guy if he messes with our girl," Ellie said, smiling in Heather and Vanessa's direction.

"It's not…" Clarisse said softly, shaking her head. "It's not… a boy."

"Oh," Ellie said.

There was a second of silence.

"Oh," Ellie said a little louder as Clarisse's words clicked. She smiled. "Pft. Girls? Girls are much easier."

Clarisse looked down as if unsure.

"Here. Step into my office," Ellie said, grabbing Clarisse's hand. She looked at Heather and Vanessa. "You two want in on this?"

"I'm good," Vanessa said, now playing with Tim's fingers.

"I'm comfortable," Heather answered, squeezing Joey's hand.

Ellie smiled again and walked with Clarisse to Heather's bedroom. Once inside, Ellie shut the door.

Clarisse sat down on the bed and didn't say anything.

Ellie sat down on the bed next to her.

After the younger woman didn't speak, Ellie nudged Clarisse's shoulder with her own. "I'm sorry about all the 'boy' comments over the years," she said to the young woman next to her.

"Is it weird?" Clarisse asked. She looked at Ellie. "Is it weird that I…"

"Clarisse," Ellie said with a small smile. "You're asking the girl who once proclaimed herself as 'the cure for mankind' if something is weird. This isn't weird."

Clarisse nodded.

"So, I'm assuming that we're talking about Lin," Ellie said. She put a hand around Clarisse's shoulder. "You think there's a bigger connection there?"

"I want there to be," Clarisse admitted. "But I don't know how to tell her."

"Like I said, girls are easy," Ellie assured her. "Just tell her how you feel and see what happens."

"What if she doesn't…" Clarisse hesitated. "What if it goes wrong."

"I think you're underestimating how much you mean to Lin," Ellie said kindly.

"It's not just Lin," Clarisse said.

"Then what is it," Ellie asked softly.

Clarisse didn't answer.

Ellie squeezed the young woman's shoulder. "Clarisse I've spent a lot of time with Lin's father and I don't think that he would have any—"

"It's not him either," Clarisse said. She shook her head. "It's… everyone else."

"Clarisse, where's this coming from?" Ellie asked finally.

Clarisse didn't answer for a minute. "In school… in school they talk about what the world was like before. How many people there were. How many people there are now. Would it be wrong to—"

"To not be with a boy instead?" Ellie completed. She sighed and slid off the bed so that she could kneel in front of Clarisse. "Trust me when I tell you that I know how you feel. But the world is _not_ your responsibility."

Clarisse looked away. "I'm pretty good at math. Statistically—"

"You are not a statistic," Ellie said sharply. She knelt a little lower so she could see into Clarisse's eyes. "You are not a statistic, Clarisse. And if people give you that bullshit, you let me know."

Clarisse didn't answer.

Ellie raised an eyebrow. " _Are_ people giving you any—"

"No," Clarisse said quickly. "No. Nobody is. You're the first person I've told."

"Good," Ellie said. She grabbed Clarisse's hands. "Now repeat what I said."

Clarisse took a deep breath. "I am not a statistic," she said firmly. "The world is not my problem."

Ellie gave her a small smile. "And if you still doubt that, you can ask Joey about what happens when you tell a girl how to live her life."

"But what if Lin doesn't feel the same way?" Clarisse asked, returning to her original stressor.

"Then it'll be awkward," Ellie said simply. "For a while, it'll be awkward. But I can guarantee that with how much you two have been there for each other over the years, she'll at least listen."

Clarisse didn't answer. She looked down again.

Ellie smiled sadly and sat on the bed again, turning the young woman to face her. Ellie sighed. "Clarisse, there are a million ways our lives could pan out. Especially in this world," she said sadly. "And—"

"It's not my choice that I'm afraid of," Clarisse interrupted, standing up. "It's Lin's."

Ellie was silent a moment before replying. "When I was your age," she said as Clarisse returned to the bed. "I met a friend who I found that I could tell anything to."

"Who?" Clarisse asked.

"She was a friend. A _girl_ friend," Ellie clarified as she felt a mix of emotions stirring within her. "And I may have even… well, we were very close."

Clarisse looked up as Ellie looked down to wipe away a tear that started to form.

Ellie looked at Clarisse again and continued. "If you don't want to share your feelings with Lin, there's nothing wrong with that," she said gently. She placed a firm grip on Clarisse's shoulder. "Just make sure you and Lin don't leave this world with anything that you want to say unsaid."

After a few seconds, Clarisse nodded and relaxed somewhat. "Thanks, Ellie."

"No problem, kiddo," Ellie said.

"Why do you always call me that?" Clarisse asked. "I'm fourteen."

"You were a kid when I met you," Ellie answered. She thought a moment before shrugging. "Plus, I've heard it more than a few times."

"My mom used to call me 'little one'," Clarisse said. She scratched the back of her head before looking at Ellie. "I think you'd be a good mom."

"Thanks," Ellie said with a smile, running her hand down Clarisse's hair.

Clarisse stood and moved to the door, her hand resting on the doorknob. She turned to Ellie. "Thanks for always listening," she said quietly. "Tim's great. But…"

"He's your brother," Ellie offered.

"Yeah," Clarisse said, smiling slightly. "I… I've always felt like I could tell you anything. No matter what."

"I try to be a good listener," Ellie said.

"The girl you knew," Clarisse said, returning to the bed. "Was she as good a listener as you?"

"Better, at times," Ellie admitted. She nodded to herself. "But we tried to keep it a two-way street."  
"What was her name?"

 ** _…_**

Matthew looked up as Joel reentered the house with Tommy and Maria. It was then that he noticed Tim hadn't returned from the bathroom.

Matthew stood and walked down the hallway, finding Tim outside of Heather's bedroom door.

"Spying?" Matthew asked, folding his arms.

"Yup," Tim said quietly and without a hint of guilt. "This is the one thing Clarisse never talked to me about."

"I doubt it," Matthew said with a small chuckle. "She _is_ entitled to keep her secrets."

"She's entitled not to tell me them," Tim corrected. "I always find out anyway."

Matthew grunted.

Tim fell silent.

Matthew paid little attention to the murmurings in the next room until he heard his sister's name.

Tim looked up at him and stood. "Okay, I'm good. They're talking about something else now."

Matthew listened for a few seconds longer. He felt a small amount of sadness as he thought of his sister.

"Who's spying now?" Tim teased from over Matthew's shoulder.

Matthew didn't answer.

 ** _…_**

"I wish I'd met Riley," Clarisse said.

There was a brief silence before Ellie replied. "I do too," she said sadly. When she spoke next, there was a lightness in her in her voice. "But you know, I've been living with her… brother for quite a while now."

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!" Clarisse exclaimed after a few seconds of thought.

 ** _…_**

Matthew heard Ellie laugh and chastise Clarisse for the language.

"This is gonna be a long night," Matthew said with a chuckle.

Matthew and Tim returned to the living room as Joel, Tommy, and Maria exited the house with fresh drinks. Joey and Heather were now half sitting, half laying across the other couch. Vanessa stood as Tim sat down on the chair again before sitting back in his lap.

Ellie and Clarisse returned an hour later as Vanessa stood to leave. Ellie repositioned herself so that she was leaning up against Matthew on the couch. Tim returned to the chair after walking Vanessa to the door.

A couple hours later, past midnight, the drinking started to die down.

Ellie looked at Joey and Heather.

Heather was dozing with her head resting on Joey's chest. Joey continued his conversation with Matthew, his arm wrapped around Heather's midsection.

Ellie smiled and glanced at Tim, who was watching Joey and Matthew's conversation with mild interest. Clarisse was now asleep across his lap with her head resting on one half of the chair and her legs draped over the other.

"So, let me get this straight," Joey was saying to Matthew. "Ellie left, Uncle Joel went after her, and after months, he finds her in _his_ house, making out with a guy he's never seen before, on _his_ couch. Is that what you're saying?"

"Aside from the making out part," Matthew clarified.

"We were kinda interrupted," Ellie said, smiling at Matthew.

"My question," Joey said to Matthew. "Is how the hell did you survive the night?"

"There were a few nights I survived with Joel that I didn't think I would," Matthew admitted with a shrug.

Ellie chuckled and looked out the window again.

Tommy was laughing and talking to Joel.

As Maria said something, Ellie noticed Tommy find Maria's hand with his own.

Maria grasped the hand without hesitation or even seeming to notice.

Ellie smiled slightly. _Let's experiment._ She reached down slowly and placed her palm on Matthew's.

Matthew grasped her hand gently, not even looking down or at her as he continued to talking Joey.

Ellie smiled.

Over the next hour, they repeated the process, never saying a word to one another.

By the end of the night, Ellie knew one thing. _I want this._


	18. Special: Part II

Three weeks following the events of "Special: Part I"

"Do you think this is a bad idea?" Ellie asked Heather as she examined the metal object she'd pulled from the fire using a stick.

Ellie and Heather were sitting outside on the grass in the hot summer night. Ellie was dressed in a sleeveless blue flannel shirt, one of her blue sleeves, and thin blue jeans. Heather was dressed similarly in a sleeveless white t-shirt and blue shorts. A small fire crackled in front of them.

"What you _want_ to do? No," Heather said. She leaned back, adopting a more serious tone. "I can't say I'm thrilled about _how_ you want to do it, though."

"I want it to be… I don't know," Ellie said, examining the object again. She sighed. "I just feel like I have to do it this way."

"Well, then I think you should," Heather said simply.

Ellie nodded and didn't reply.

"Something tells me I'm just the practice round," Heather said as she sat up again. "You haven't talked to Joel about it yet, have you?"

"Sorry for using you as the test dummy," Ellie said in answer.

"It's what I'm here for," Heather said, patting Ellie on the back.

"I heard you and Joey were going to hang out later tomorrow," Ellie said, changing the subject.

"We're just going for a swim," Heather moaned, laying back on the grass again to look at the stars. "Joey's pulling an all-nighter tonight and neither of us will want to jog. Plus, he's right. It's hot as hell."

"'Hot as hell' and 'Joey' should never be in the same conversation," Ellie commented.

Ellie received a punch on the back of her shoulder.

"Not funny," Heather grumbled.

Ellie laughed. She looked at the circular metal object on the stick one last time. _Perfect._ She placed the object it into a bowl she had sitting behind her.

"You and Joey ever talk about… what we just talked about?" Ellie asked seriously.

"Not really," Heather answered. "Joey and I aren't as connected as you and Matthew seem to be. Not yet anyway."

"Go have a vacation over the Wall. You'll get closer," Ellie replied.

Heather shook her head with a small smile. She picked up a stick and twiddled it between her fingers. "I think were both just happy to be close."

Ellie looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "How close are we talking here?"

Heather opened her mouth to reply when Joel walked into the back yard.

"Evening ladies," Joel said. He looked at the moon. "Or morning."

"It's late enough that I should get going," Heather said, standing. She looked at Ellie and lipped 'good luck'.

Ellie nodded and looked at the fire.

Joel sat down, fixing his gaze on Ellie. "You haven't come out here in the middle of the night for a long time," he said quietly.

"I had something to figure out," Ellie said cryptically.

"Nightmares?" Joel asked.

"No, nothing like that," Ellie said. She reached behind her and grabbed the bowl. "I've been working on something."

Joel looked at the simple metal ring in the bowl. "You've come a long way from making your own arrows," he said with admiration.

"It took a feel tries," Ellie admitted, motioning to the large 'failure' pile she had next to the fire. She leaned back. "But I figured I had time to experiment a bit. Matthew's pulling another all-nighter with Joey."

"So, this ring's not for you," Joel guessed.

Ellie didn't answer right away, unsure of how Joel was going to react. "I want what Tommy and Maria have," she finally said.

Joel looked at Ellie again and spoke softly. "Ellie, I think a lot of people would say you and the kid already have that."

"I know," Ellie said, looking down. "I know. But this is how it's supposed to be done, isn't it? I know the ring isn't much. I mean… it's just melted and reshaped metal. But it's something, right?"

"I'm sure Matthew will love it," Joel said gently.

Ellie looked at Joel. "So… you're cool with this?" she asked.

"To tell you the truth, I figured it would happen sooner or later," Joel said as he sat back. "Only…"

"Only Matthew was supposed to ask me?" Ellie said.

"Well, you've always been special," Joel said, reaching forward and ruffling Ellie's hair.

Ellie brushed the hand away. "You know I hate it when you do that."

"I know," Joel said with a small smile. He looked at his broken watch.

"What's up?" Ellie asked.

Joel looked over at her, confused.

Ellie pointed to the watch. "You only ever do the 'gaze of destiny' thing when… sorry. Too much."

"It wasn't," Joel assured her. He let his hand fall to his side. "I was just thinking about the first gift that ever really mattered to me."

Ellie touched the necklace hanging from her neck. "Small things, right?"

"Small things," Joel said, looking at his watch again.

Ellie smiled and the gazed into the fire. After a few minutes, a small amount of apprehension returned.

Joel looked at Ellie. "Is there something else you wanted to talk about?"

Ellie nodded. "The first part of this went a lot easier than I thought it would," she said, forcing a smile.

"The first part," Joel said.

Ellie gulped. "I want to ask him. I want to ask him… out there."

"Out there," Joel repeated. He looked into the distance. "Outside of Jackson."

"This is the part I knew you wouldn't like," Ellie said.

"You were right," Joel grunted. He sighed. "Why?"

"It's where we met," Ellie said. She looked at Joel. "It's where I met him, Joel. I just want it to be… right."

Joel looked away for a moment. "I don't like the idea of you two going out there alone."

"We've done it before," Ellie said. She ran a hand through her long hair. "Look, it'll only be a day, if that. We'll leave early. Mid-day at the latest. And I promise we'll be back before dark. I just… I want to do this my way."

Joel didn't answer right away. He ran a hand through his beard. "I understand that you want to do this your way. But doing this your way… it puts you in danger again."

"It's the last time," Ellie said. She looked Joel in the eye. "Joel, I swear, this is the last time. I just… I need to do it."

Joel didn't reply.

Ellie let the subject drop for a while.

They heard laughing from the front yard. A moment later, Tim and Vanessa walked around the corner and started moving toward them.

"Late night for you guys," Ellie commented. She looked at Joel who continued to look at the ground. Ellie looked at Tim and Vanessa. "I thought you two were staying in for the night."

Tim held up a walkie-talkie. "Bradley's kid had a bit of trouble at school today."

"Anything bad?" Ellie asked.

"Nothing serious," Tim answered. "I guess he just started throwing chairs. Clarisse and Lin managed to get him calmed down before anyone got hurt."

"You have a guess as to what's causing the crazy stuff?" Ellie asked.

"I gave Clarisse a few of my old books that I still have lying around," Vanessa said. "She and Lin are going over them at our place. They're thinking it's either ADHD or Autism."

"I don't know what either of those mean," Ellie admitted.

"Neither do I," Vanessa said with a laugh. She looked down sadly. "All I know is that a long time ago, my stepdad made me promise to keep those books in case they'd be useful. I guess he was right."

"He was right," Tim said quietly to her.

Vanessa nodded and shook her head. "Anyway, Lin and Clarisse have been at it since they got home. I'm sure they'll figure something out."

"Bradley wanted to walk his kid to school tomorrow," Tim said. "He asked if I could take the rest of his shift tonight so he could get some rest. I'm just getting off now."

Vanessa glanced behind Ellie at the fire. "Isn't it a bit hot for that?"

"Um…" Ellie's voice trailed off. She took a step back. "It's um… I was…"

Tim looked at Ellie curiously, then looked at the bowl containing the ring. A look of understanding crossed his face. He turned to Vanessa. "I think we should get going."

Vanessa looked at the bowl as well and ran forward, throwing her arms around Ellie. "Congrats!"

"Not yet," Ellie said, laughing slightly. She shook her head. "I still have to ask and… it's a tiny bit complicated."

"Leaving now," Vanessa said, taking the hint. She turned to walk way.

"Congratulations in advance," Tim said quietly to Ellie. He placed a hand on her shoulder. "You guys deserve it."

"Thanks, Tim," Ellie said.

Tim nodded and turned away.

Ellie stepped forward. "Tim. Do me a favor and keep Matthew's schedule clear for tomorrow."

"I'll do that," Tim promised.

Ellie turned back to Joel, who had pulled a lace from his boot and was tying it around the ring to create a necklace.

Ellie walked forward.

Joel placed the ring around her neck. It clinked softly against Sarah's old necklace. The necklace that Joel and Sarah had passed on to Ellie.

Ellie reached up and touched the ring and her necklace for a moment, feeling the warmth.

Joel moved back to the fire, gathered the failed attempts to make the ring, and placed them into the bowl.

"What are you doing?" Ellie asked.

Joel picked up a stick and adjusted the fire slightly before handing Ellie the bowl. "You'd best make a few arrows for tomorrow," he said. "Just in case."

"Good idea," Ellie said, taking the bowl.

Joel started to walk away.

Ellie reached forward and touched his shoulder. "I'll be fine," she tried to reassure him. "We'll be fine."

"I know," Joel said, turning back to her. Ellie could swear she saw a small tear in his eye. "You're fully capable of doing this, Ellie. Both of you are. I'll see you in the morning, kiddo."

Ellie watched as Joel returned to the house before sitting down in front of the fire, thinking of what changes the next day would bring.

 ** _…_**

Matthew walked into the house an hour before dawn, yawning. He took off his boots and walked into the bedroom to see Ellie in bed, already asleep.

Matthew took off his blue shirt and tossed it into the basket on the floor. He did a double-take when he noticed Ellie's backpack. It was sitting against the closet door. Next to it was a full quiver of freshly made arrows. Matthew's own backpack sat next to it, a similar set of arrows lay on the floor.

Matthew stared at the backpacks for a moment before stepping over Winston and lying down in the bed.

Matthew slipped a hand around Ellie's side.

Ellie moaned slightly snuggled closer to Matthew.

"Are we going somewhere tomorrow?" Matthew asked.

"Mh-hm," Ellie answered, barely awake.

"You gonna to tell me why?" Matthew asked, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Tomorrow," Ellie said, dropping back off to sleep.

Matthew noticed a lace around Ellie's neck. He reached forward and slowly started to adjust it.

Ellie moaned again and placed her hand over his, blocking his view of the object attached to the lace.

Matthew nodded slightly and closed his eyes.

 ** _…_**

Ellie awoke before Matthew the next morning and sat up. She got dressed, placing on an old pair of blue jeans, one of her black sleeves, and a ripped, green flannel shirt.

Ellie exited the bedroom and stopped in the hallway as Joel walked down the stairs, wearing his own pair of jeans a red flannel shirt. He was also hauling a bag. He moved past her and to the front door.

"What's going on?" Ellie asked, spotting another two bags leaning against the wall. "We doing a major amount of bartering at the shop that I don't know about."

Joel turned to her. "I talked to Tommy and Maria," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets. "It'll take a while, but they said I could stay with them until I find a place of my—"

"Wait, what?" Ellie interrupted, completely shocked. "You're leaving?"

"I figure you and the kid can use some space of your own," Joel said, not looking her in the eye. "This house was always too big for me anyway."

"To big for _us_ ," Ellie corrected as Joel moved past her. "Look I appreciate your confidence in what I'm going to do today, but I don't want you to leave. Neither will Matthew."

Joel stopped and turned to Ellie. "I just thought—"

"You thought fucking wrong," Ellie snapped, placing her hands on her hips.

Joel closed his mouth, obviously unsure of what to say.

Ellie shook her head. "You're my…" she looked down for a moment before looking him in the eye, speaking firmly. "We're family. We stick together. And that's how it's going to be."

"Okay," Joel said. He nodded. "Okay, kiddo."

"Good," Ellie said, relaxing.

Joel picked up a bag and moved toward the stairs.

"Joel," Ellie called.

Joel stopped.

Ellie took a step forward. "Thank you."

"Your welcome, baby girl."

Ellie helped Joel return the bags to his bedroom and offered to practice with their guitars for a while.

Matthew emerged an hour later, dressed in a blue sleeveless shirt and a pair of ripped blue jeans.

"Good afternoon," Ellie said to him cheerfully, setting down her guitar.

Matthew chuckled. "Usually, I'm saying that to you. And that's without an all-night shift."

Ellie rolled her eyes and looked at Joel.

Joel set down his guitar. "I think you two should get going."

"Right," Ellie said. She placed her guitar on the couch, walked into the bedroom, and retrieved the two backpacks, Matthew's crossbow, and her own bow. She threw Matthew's backpack to him. "Let's go."

Matthew glanced at Joel, who was looking at his guitar.

Matthew slowly put the backpack on.

Ellie handed Matthew his crossbow. "C'mon. Time's wastin'."

 ** _…_**

Matthew walked behind Ellie as she led him to the south end of the Wall.

Matthew watched as Ellie briefed the man on the Wall, specifying what they were bringing with them and how long they'd be gone.

"Ellie, Matthew," someone called from behind them.

Clarisse, Lin, Tim, and Vanessa walked forward.

Clarisse wore a red shirt and blue shorts. She had a book tucked under her arm. Lin was dressed similarly with a blue shirt and a pair of red shorts. Vanessa wore a loose-fitting dark blue dress. Her arm was wrapped around Tim, who wore a light green t-shirt and a pair of ripped blue jeans.

"Shouldn't you two be at school?" Matthew asked Clarisse and Lin.

"We're on break," Lin answered.

"How's Bradley's son doing?" Ellie asked, rejoining them.

"Better than yesterday," Clarisse said with a shrug. "We actually got him to say a few words to us today."

"That's awesome," Ellie said to the two of them. "You know, if you want, you two could probably become teachers."

Lin grabbed Clarisse's hand and squeezed. "Actually, they suggested the same thing to us earlier."

"And?" Matthew asked.

"And they want us to stick around for a while tonight," Clarisse said. She shrugged. "I guess they want to show us the ropes."

"That's my girls," Ellie said, placing a hand on each of her shoulders.

Vanessa nudged Tim's shoulder. "Baby sister's all grown up."

"She's starting to make me look bad," Tim grunted.

"You don't need any help with that," Clarisse said under her breath.

Lin smiled.

Heather and Joey walked forward. Joey was wearing a red t-shirt and grey pants. Heather was wearing one of Joey's grey t-shirts and a ripped pair of green jeans.

"Wow," Heather said looking at all of them. "Look at that, we're all here."

Clarisse glanced at Matthew and looked at Ellie. "I just wanted to say good luck."

"Really?" Ellie said, fixing Tim with a raised eyebrow. "For what?"

Tim held up his hands in surrender. "Don't look at me," he said quickly. "I didn't say anything."

"It's true," Vanessa said, hooking her arm around Tim's. "I was with him the entire time."

"You two are going outside the Wall," Clarisse said. She looked at Matthew. "And you look like you have no idea what's going on. How am I doing so far?"

"Is there something that I'm missing here?" Joey asked.

Heather smiled.

"You know about as much as I do," Matthew said to Joey, Clarisse, and Lin.

"Like I said," Clarisse continued. She looked at Ellie. "Good luck with whatever you're doing."

Ellie hugged Clarisse with one hand and looked at Heather. "Have fun today."

"We'll try," Heather said. She cursed suddenly and looked at Joey. "I forgot. I was going to show Steven how to deal with a gunshot wound. I just remembered."

"That's fine," Joey said with a shrug. "I've got the day off. I can wait."

"You can hang out at my place," Heather said. "It shouldn't take too long. Steven learns pretty quick."

"When he's sober," Ellie commented.

"I don't think he's taken a drink in over a year," Matthew said, defending Jackson's doctor-in-training.

"I'll hang out for a bit," Joey said to Heather. "As long as it doesn't involve me getting shot for the sake of training."

Heather shook her head with a smile. "Relax. No test dummies needed this time."

Ellie grabbed Matthew's arm. "We should get going," she said, somewhat nervously. "I want to be back before sundown."

Matthew nodded. He and Ellie said goodbye to everyone.

Ellie climbed up the ladder to the top of the trailer and hesitated.

"You alright?" Matthew asked as he joined her.

"Yeah," Ellie said. She gulped. "I'm fine. Let's go."

"Go where?" Matthew asked as they jumped down.

"You'll see."

Matthew followed Ellie down the hill and eventually out of sight from Jackson.

For two hours, they walked without speaking. They easily fell back into their habits of having their eyes open and ears alert. They encountered no one aside from a few small animals that steered clear.

Many times, Matthew considered asking Ellie where they were headed. He resisted, knowing from Ellie's body language that she had a destination in mind. Eventually, they walked out of the trees and emerged next to a beach that connected to a river.

Matthew instantly knew this was where they were going to stop.

They split up without a word, examining the surrounding area for potential threats. The beach was empty and sported no footprints, indicating that nothing had traveled through the area recently. They also created a few sound traps along the way.

Seven minutes later, they convened at the center of the beach next to the river.

"You know where we are?" Ellie asked.

"It's where we first met," Matthew answered.

"Oh, good," Ellie said with mock relief as she sat down. "I thought I brought us to the wrong side."

Matthew sat down and glanced to his right, spotting a pile of old, burnt wood that indicated someone had once been camped next to the river. "I'm pretty sure we're on the right side."

They sat in silence for a time.

"You know," Ellie said, looking around. "I forgot with how long we've been in Jackson that this place can be quiet. And pretty. It's kinda nice."

"It is nice," Matthew admitted. He looked at Ellie with a small smile. "As long as nothing unusual is swimming around in the river and you avoid the occasional loud redhead that—"

Ellie punched him hard in the shoulder and smiled. "This _redhead_ is the best thing that's ever happened to you," she stated proudly. "Right or wrong?"

"Right," Matthew confirmed, returning his gaze to the river.

Ellie shifted nervously next to him.

Matthew reached out and grabbed her hand, content to wait until she spoke.

"I suppose you want to know why I dragged you out here," Ellie said with a sigh.

"It couldn't hurt," Matthew replied. He looked at Ellie. "Frankly, I'm just as curious to know how Joel is okay with this."

"It took some convincing," Ellie said. She picked up a rock and tossed it into the river. "But it's a special occasion."

"Special," Matthew repeated.

Ellie nodded. She looked at the river. "I wanted to ask you something."

"What about?" Matthew asked patiently.

"Us," Ellie said, looking at him.

Matthew raised an eyebrow.

Ellie sighed and picked up sand with her free hand. She slowly let it flow between her fingers and fall to the ground before repeating the processes. "I know it sounds sappy, but… for a while now I've been watching Tommy and Maria."

"I've noticed," Matthew said, thinking back to the party three weeks beforehand.

"What they have," Ellie said. She squeezed the handful sand in her hand and released it. "Well… it's special."

"And?" Matthew asked, unsure of where this conversation was going.

Ellie turned to him. "And I want that."

Matthew squeezed Ellie's hand before putting an arm around her shoulder. "You've always been special," he said softly.

Ellie removed one of the two necklaces that she'd kept tucked into her shirt. Attached to it was a small silver ring. She offered the ring to Matthew.

Matthew stared between Ellie and the ring, his hand sliding from her shoulder and to the ground behind her.

Ellie's looked into his eyes. "I want you to be special with me," she said.

Matthew gently touched the ring with his fingers, taking in what possessing the object would mean. He closed his eyes for a moment and closed his fist around the ring.

Ellie didn't press for a reply. She simply waited.

Matthew opened his eyes and looked at Ellie. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find the words to express the emotion swirling within him. Matthew smiled and wiped away a tear that was forming in his eye before returning his gaze to Ellie.

The world was silent.

Matthew couldn't hear the breeze making the leaves on the trees shake. He couldn't see the river and beach surrounding them. The dangers that the world presented for any who lived in it no longer existed. There was no world.

There was Matthew.

And there was Ellie.

Matthew slowly uncurled his fist and slipped the ring over one of his fingers. "For the rest of our lives," he said.

"Right," Ellie said, smiling. She grabbed his hands and squeezed. "You're stuck with me now."

"I've never had a problem with that," Matthew replied. He looked out at the river and smiled again. "You're right. This is a nice view."

"Too bad I promised Joel this was the last time I'd see it," Ellie said, tapping the water with a finger and creating rings. "What is with us and water all the time."

"Strategic value," Matthew answered. "Limits the directions people can attack us from."

"God!" Ellie exclaimed. "Isn't it nice to have not to have to worry about _that_ anymore."

Matthew chuckled. "Let's not press our luck."

Ellie smiled to and looked at him. "I've always liked it when you smile," she said, poking his face "Does it hurt? When you smile?"

"Not anymore," Matthew answered. He sighed. "To tell the truth I don't think I had smiled for months before I met you."

"Glad I could help," Ellie said simply.

They sat in silence for a while, smiling at the river.

Matthew looked at Ellie. "Thanks for this," he said, fidgeting with the ring. "Thanks for everything."

"Thank you," Ellie replied softly.

They both leaned in and kissed. When the kiss ended, they didn't pull away. They rested their heads together.

After a full five minutes, Matthew sat up and looked at the sun. "We still got a while before we need to head back," he said.

Ellie looked at him.

Matthew shrugged. "What do you say we do something."

"You got something in mind?" Ellie asked.

"Anything you want. We could go for a swim," Matthew suggested.

Ellie looked down at the ground.

Matthew looked around. "We could find a nice tree to climb. We could go hunting. We haven't done that in years."

"You shoot, I shoot," Ellie said, smiling again.

"I shoot, you shoot," Matthew said, smiling again as well.

"That's a lot to choose from," Ellie said. She shrugged, laying back and staring at the sky. "I'm just as comfy staying here too."

Matthew nodded in agreement and laid back as well. They laid in silence for hours, their hands tightly intertwined.

 ** _…_**

Ellie looked over at their hands. Matthew's ring reflected in the sunlight.

Ellie moved closer and laid her head against his shoulder. "I love you, Matthew," she said quietly.

Matthew glanced at her.

Ellie realized that it was the first time that either of them had said those words.

Matthew tilted his head and kissed her. "I love you too, Ellie."

Ellie kissed him again and laid back, content.


	19. Special: Part III

Two months following the events of "Special: Part II"

Ellie awoke feeling utterly nauseous. She slid out of bed, pulled on a pair of blue jeans and a red t-shirt before going into the bathroom down the hall.

Ellie turned on the faucet and shook her head in frustration. She took a couple of deep breaths and rubbed her temples, trying to get rid of a headache.

Ellie looked up when she felt a hand slide around her midriff and as her husband's chin rested on her shoulder.

Matthew reached past Ellie and turned off the unused water. "No drink?"

Ellie shrugged against his chest. "I'm so sick of water. It doesn't help," she moaned. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against Matthew's. "Sorry that I woke you."

"I had to get up in a few minutes anyway," Matthew said softly. He stepped back and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry you don't feel great."

"Me too," Ellie said, standing upright. "The nicest weather we've had this summer and I feel like shit."

"You're talking as if you weren't planning on spending the entire day at the shop or the Foundation rather being than outside," Matthew said.

Ellie turned and leaned against the sink. "I won't feel sick if I'm occupied."

"If you start feeling worse, maybe you should take some time," Matthew advised, putting his hands in his black pajama pants' pockets. "You run your ass off, you're bound to get worse."

"You should talk," Ellie teased. "You don't exactly sit still either."

"I'm not made that way," Matthew agreed.

Ellie nodded and they returned to the bedroom to get dressed.

"I probably won't be back until late," Matthew said as he pulled on a ripped blue shirt and black pants. "Tommy asked if I could help train a few of the new people we brought in last week."

"Sounds like fun," Ellie commented unenthusiastically.

"He says I get a good read on people," Matthew said, grabbing his crossbow. "Whatever that means."

"Here," Ellie said, handing Matthew a carabiner clip.

"Thanks," Matthew said as he clipped the crossbow to his belt. He looked at Ellie. "You're still cool with me going over the Wall today, right."

"As long as you're back before you're supposed to be," Ellie said, turning away.

"If you don't want me to go, I can stick around," Matthew said gently. "You know, just in case you start feeling worse."

"I don't want you to go out there," Ellie admitted as she pulled on her sneakers. She turned to him and smiled sadly. "But not because I'm not feeling a hundred percent."

"I'll be safe," Matthew promised. "Trust me."

"I do," Ellie said honestly.

"Alright," Matthew said. He kissed her on the cheek. "I'll see you tonight."

Ellie grabbed the rest of her stuff, moved to the kitchen, and started brewing some coffee. After a small meal that didn't make her feel any better. Ellie sat down at the table, placing the cup of coffee across from her.

Joel walked down the stairs a minute later and sat down, wearing a loose black t- shirt and pants. He looked at Ellie. "You feelin' okay?"

"Aside from the headache and feeling like I want to puke my guts out," Ellie said sarcastically. "Yeah. I feel fine."

"Maybe you should go see Heather," Joel suggested.

"I'll be fine," Ellie groaned. "Jesus Christ. It's like you guys have never seen me fucking sick before."

Joel grunted. "You swear more when you're sick."

"I swear anyway," Ellie said, rubbing her temples.

"Like a sailor," Joel said. He scratched his head. "I talked to Maria. She says Joey and Heather are planning on moving in together tonight."

"Yeah, Heather told me last night," Ellie said. She leaned back in her chair. "It's about time. They've only known each other for eight years."

"Remember that you and the kid have lived together since the day you met," Joel said, sipping his coffee.

"That's not the same," Ellie insisted, sitting down. "And will you stop calling him 'kid'? I married the guy. I think that permits a name upgrade."

"I'll stop calling him 'kid' when he stops calling me 'sir'," Joel said as he took another sip.

"Like that's ever going to happen," Ellie said, rolling her eyes. She looked out the window. "I'd better get going. I'll see you tonight."

"Come home if you're not feeling good," Joel said.

Ellie held up a thumb and walked out the door.

 ** _…_**

Matthew walked up to the south end of Jackson and waited as Tim finished talking to one of the men on the Wall.

Tim was dressed in light blue shirt and black jeans. Attached to one hip was a walkie-talkie and the other a handgun.

"I figured you'd volunteer," Tim said turning to Matthew.

"You trust someone else to do it?" Matthew asked, exchanging nods with one of the men on the Wall.

"Walk the entire length of the fence after a lightning storm that could potentially have knocked out the power?" Tim asked calmly. "Not really. Your ears are still better than everyone else's. You'll spot the holes quickly. Just be careful. We haven't done a scouting run in a while and we don't know where the Infected ended up after that storm last week."

"I will," Matthew promised. "I was going to scout a little beyond the fence too. Just in case."

"I'm assuming Ellie's cool with that?" Tim said.

Matthew raised an eyebrow.

Tim raised his hands. "Just making sure."

"She's cool," Matthew answered.

Tim motioned to the handgun that rested on his hip. "No best men allowed?"

"I move quicker on my own," Matthew said. He lowered his voice. "Keep an eye on Ellie for me. She's not feeling great."

"I'll drop by the Foundation later," Tim said. He handed Matthew a walkie-talkie. "See you in a bit."

"Thanks," Matthew said, strapping the device to his belt.

 ** _…_**

Around mid-day, Ellie walked into the Foundation and started setting up for the three separate meetings she was going to host.

As Ellie placed the third stool on the ground, she suddenly felt exhausted and her breath left her. Ellie sat down on the stool, breathing heavily. She tried to stand quickly when Marcus and Vanessa walked in the door.

Marcus wore a brown shirt and jeans. He had a walkie-talkie strapped to his hip. Vanessa was wearing a blue t-shirt and pair of green shorts. She had a notebook and pencil in her hand.

Vanessa looked at Ellie in concern and walked over, placing a free hand on her shoulder. "You okay, girlfriend?" she asked Ellie "You look like—"

"Like I'm just tired," Ellie said firmly. She sniffled and stood to grab another stool. "How was your date with Tim last night?"

"Awesome, like always," Vanessa answered, grabbing a stool herself.

"I'm glad you guys got through that rough patch last month," Ellie said casually.

"We had the stupidest fights," Vanessa said with a small laugh.

"Those happen," Marcus informed the two women. "Just push through 'em."

"That's our motto," Ellie said as another headache threatened to turn into a migraine.

"It doesn't have to be that way today," Marcus said, glancing at Ellie. "You really do look like shit."

"Thanks," Ellie said. She grabbed another stool. "I'll survive."

Vanessa offered Ellie a water bottle.

Ellie shook her head.

"If you're sure," Marcus said uncertainly. He looked at Vanessa. "By the way, thanks for taking Janet's shift later. She wants to be home for when the girl's visit."

"It's not a problem," Vanessa replied.

"What's going on?" Ellie asked as she grabbed another stool.

"My daughter's been acting… interesting the last few weeks," Marcus explained. "Janet and I are starting to think that there may be something more going on."

"How old is she now?" Ellie asked.

"Seven," Marcus answered. "Anyway, I asked if Lin and Clarisse could drop by. I've heard they're pretty good at reading kids."

"Very trusting," Ellie said, remembering her first meeting with Marcus at the Foundation.

"I learned a long time ago not to judge wisdom by age," Marcus said.

 ** _…_**

Tim walked into the Foundation as a meeting ended mid-afternoon. He glanced at Ellie and knew instantly knew why Matthew had been concerned.

Tim walked forward and placed a hand on Vanessa's shoulder. She glanced up and smiled as Ellie moved to the back office.

Tim looked at Vanessa. "How much longer of a day does Ellie have?"

"Two more meetings," Vanessa said. She sighed. "I've already tried to talk to her."

"I'll take a gander," Tim said.

"Good luck," Vanessa said. "I got to get going."

"Tell Janet I said 'hi'," Tim said.

Tim stood outside of the office until Ellie emerged a few minutes later.

Ellie held up a hand as Tim opened his mouth. "Don't even try," she said, taking a deep breath. "I'm not puking which means I'm not sick."

Tim closed his mouth.

"My husband send you to spy?" Ellie asked.

Tim shrugged.

"That answers that question," Ellie said. She felt another headache beginning to form. "I can't really blame him. I suppose he didn't want you to go with him today."

"I tried," Tim said with a shrug. "But you're both stubborn."

Ellie rubbed her temples.

Tim looked around as people started walking in. "How about you take the night off," he said, looking around. "Marcus and I can hold down the fort here."

"I'll be fine," Ellie insisted.

"Look," Tim said, stepping forward. "I know that this place means a lot to you, but in my opinion, you'll be much better at your job healthy rather than sick."

Ellie looked around for a moment. "I guess…"

"Go home," Tim ordered. "Jackson will survive without you for a night."

 ** _…_**

Ellie exited the Foundation and started walking. She didn't pay particular attention to the direction she was moving.

Ellie started walking faster as she realized that this would be the first meeting for the Foundation that she had ever missed. She felt herself grow frustrated. _Great. Just fucking great. I'm not even sick and now I'm abandoning everyone._ Ellie saw her house ahead and sighed. _At least I wasn't bleeding the entire week. I usually bleed around… oh no._

Ellie turned and started jogging in the direction of Heather's house.

 ** _…_**

Heather handed a stack of papers to Steven. "That should be all the files on your side of Jackson," she said, also handing him a notepad from her blue jeans and a pencil that was resting in the pocket of her white t-shirt.

"Thanks," Steven said, placing the materials in his bag. He placed the bag over his shoulder, allowing it to lay across his brown t-shirt and light blue jeans, and looked at his watch. "I'd better get going."

"If you have any questions, you know where to find me," Heather said. Over Steven's shoulder she spotted Ellie moving quickly toward the house. Heather turned to Steven. "You'll do great. Jackson could use a good doctor like you."

Steven nodded and turned away as Ellie walked forward.

"Hi," Heather said.

"Hey," Ellie said quickly. She moved past Heather and into the house. "I need to take something from your file thingy and you can't ask what."

Heather opened her mouth to reply, but Ellie was already moving down the hallway. Heather shrugged as Arata slowly walked into the house. The cat hesitated, bobbing on her old legs before hopping up onto the couch.

Joey walked in behind the cat, hauling two boxes. "These are the last two," he said, setting them down. He grabbed a piece of paper from the back pocket of his blue jeans and checked something off before shoving the pencil into the pocket of his green t-shirt. "That's my entire old bedroom."

"Cool," Heather said. She looked in the boxes. "The clothes can go in the _new_ bedroom, and the other box can go in the kitchen until we have time to sort through everything."

"Alright," Joey said. He walked toward the bedroom and turned back to Heather. "I'm glad we're finally doing this."

Heather smiled. "I'd say it was a long time coming, but…"

"We weren't ready," Joey agreed with a nod. "But I'm glad we're finally ready."

"Me too," Heather said.

Joey continued to the bedroom, meeting Ellie in the hallway. "Hi, Ellie."

"Hi, Joey…" Ellie said distantly, walking past him and out the door.

Joey looked at Heather.

Heather shrugged.

Joey returned the gesture before walking into the bedroom, Arata following close behind.

Heather walked into the kitchen and cleared some space. She noticed several pieces of paper from her file cabinet sitting on the counter. Heather read a few and her eyes widened.

Heather immediately turned and ran out the door. She caught up with Ellie half a block away from the house. "Ellie," she called

"I don't want to talk about it," Ellie said firmly, turning to Heather.

Heather stopped. She put her hands up in surrender. "We don't have to," she promised.

"Thank you," Ellie said, turning away.

"Have you gone to the bathroom recently," Heather called.

"What?" Ellie asked, turning around again. She shook her head. "No. What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Have you been drinking a lot of water?"

"I quit water this morning," Ellie grumbled. "It's not helping."

"Good," Heather said. She took a step back. "Good. Just… if you need anything…"

"I know," Ellie said. She walked away.

Heather looked at the ground with a small smile. A second later, her eyes went wide. "Oh shit! Joey!"

Heather ran back into the house, down the hallway, and into the kitchen.

Joey turned to her. He was clutching one of the pieces of paper in his hand. He had a look of fear and confusion on his face. "Is um… is there something I need to know."

"It's not us!" Heather said quickly. "It's not us, Joey."

Joey let out a breath as a look of relief crossed his face. He laughed and sat down in a chair. "Thank God. So… Ellie."

"Yeah," Heather said awkwardly. She moved past Joey and placed all the papers back in the cabinet. "But we're gonna keep that to ourselves. She seems a bit shook up."

"I'm still trying to stop myself from shaking," Joey said with a nervous chuckle.

Heather sat on the counter. There was a moment of silence before she looked at Joey. "Would it have been that bad?"

"What?" Joey asked.

"Us," Heather said, glancing at the cabinet. "Would it have been…"

"No," Joey said quickly. He started stammering. "No, I didn't mean it that way. I just, well, I'd rather it not come as a surprise."

"I don't see how it wouldn't," Heather said. She looked down at the floor and sighed. "I'm glad it wasn't us this time either."

Joey was silent for a few seconds. He looked at Heather. "We never talked about it. Well, I didn't think you wanted to talk about it. I mean we only been… and plus, it's our first night in."

Heather hopped off the counter. "Well, I don't exactly think about it all the time, but…" her sentence trailed off. She shook her head. "You're right. It's our first night in. Let's not get too complicated."

"But you _want_ to talk about it?" Joey pressed.

"I think it's something we should talk about eventually," Heather answered.

"I think we should too," Joey agreed. He reached forward and grabbed Heather's hand, speaking quietly. "I don't want to be the cause of… I don't want to make you uncomfortable. And I can't say I'll understand what… how you feel about…"

Heather squeezed his hand. "You are not the man who… you are not _him_ ," she said firmly.

Joey nodded. "You still trust me, right?"

"More than anyone," Heather said. She leaned forward and kissed Joey, who returned the kiss. Heather hopped into his lap, speaking lightly. "We should get drunk tonight."

"Yeah?" Joey asked.

"Yeah," Heather said. She wrapped her hands around his shoulders. "We should get drunk, and _then_ we'll talk about it."

"Yeah…" Joey skeptically. "I have a hard enough time keeping my stupid mouth shut _without_ alcohol."

"But it's honest," Heather pointed out.

"That's true," Joey said.

"It's a date," Heather said. She stood and grabbed the box that Joey had brought into the kitchen. "Let's see what we got here."

 ** _…_**

Ellie looked at the paper in her hand grabbed the long unopened container of white vinegar. She poured half a cup of the liquid into a bowl she'd retrieved from the cupboard. _We're never going to use this bowl again._

Ellie picked up the bowl and walked into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind her.

 ** _…_**

The sun was starting to set as Clarisse and Lin were walking across Jackson to meet Marcus at the Foundation.

As they were moving down the street, Clarisse noticed Ellie sitting against the side of her house. Her fist was clenching and unclenching. She was staring at the ground.

"You should go talk to her," Lin advised, following Clarisse's gaze.

"You're good talking to Marcus?" Clarisse asked.

"No problem," Lin said. "I'll see you at home."

"Which home?" Clarisse asked. "Yours or mine?"

"The place where I said 'yes'," Lin replied, squeezing Clarisse's hand.

"Did I ever say that asking you out was the best thing I've ever done?" Clarisse asked happily.

Lin shrugged. "Only a few times a week."

Clarisse smiled, walked over to Ellie, and stood in front of her for a full ten seconds. "Ellie."

Ellie jumped in surprise. "Oh… hi, Clarisse."

"What's wrong?" Clarisse asked, sitting down next to Ellie.

"Nothing," Ellie said. She shook her head. "How was… how was Marcus' kid."

"We have an idea," Clarisse answered. She grabbed Ellie's hands to stop her from fidgeting. "What? Is? Going? On?"

Ellie opened her mouth to reply but stopped when Clarisse raised an eyebrow. Ellie chuckled. "You know, I miss the time when I could read your mind," she said to the young woman in front of her.

"I don't," Clarisse said.

Ellie looked down again.

Clarisse prodded Ellie with her fingers. "Now _I_ get to be the pushy one."

"Pushy, huh?" Ellie said, a small smile forming on her face. "I was pushy?"

"Sometimes," Clarisse replied. "Start talking."

Ellie was silent for a few minutes and sighed. "I'm… I've got a problem that I don't know how to deal with."

"I thought you knew how to deal with everything," Clarisse said, growing somewhat concerned. "Can I help?"

Ellie gulped. "Not this time."

Clarisse noticed a paper in Ellie's hand and reached for it.

Ellie quickly pulled Clarisse's hand away and shoved the piece of paper in her pocket.

Clarisse backed off with another look of confusion.

"Like I said. Not this time, kiddo," Ellie apologetically.

Clarisse nodded and leaned back. "When I was having trouble in school and I wouldn't let Timmy help me fix it," she said carefully. "He would always tell me to sleep on it. Everything looks better the next day."

Ellie thought for a moment and smiled. "That's a smart brother you got there."

"He has his moments," Clarisse admitted. She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I told him to take his own advice the night he asked Vanessa out."

"Bet you're still holding that over him," Ellie commented, finally seeming to relax.

"I'm saving _that_ story for a _special_ occasion," Clarisse said.

"What occasion is that?" Ellie asked.

Clarisse didn't answer.

 ** _…_**

Matthew grabbed Tommy's hand and allowed the older man to haul him up onto the Wall.

"Any problems?" Tommy asked, eyeing the blood stain on Matthew's shirt.

"Not for me," Matthew said. He nodded to Maria, who stood on the Wall beside them. "There were no shorts on the fence, but I had to untangle a few animals."

"Any Infected?" Tommy asked.

"Seven," Matthew said.

"I don't suppose I need to test you," Tommy said, patting the scanning device on his arm.

"They didn't get that close," Matthew said, tapping his crossbow.

"And the blood stain on your shirt?" Maria asked.

Matthew reached into his backpack and extracted a handgun. "Two Bandits," he explained. "I followed them for half an hour. They were the last of their group."

"And?" Maria asked.

"A damn bird gave me away," Matthew explained. He ejected the clip from the handgun as well as the round in the chamber, handing both to Tommy. "Fully loaded. They didn't have a chance to use it."

Tommy raised an eyebrow.

"I gave them a chance," Matthew said calmly. He shook his head. "They didn't take it."

Tommy nodded and pocketed the mag and bullet before shoving the empty weapon into his belt. "Well, I'm glad you got home safe. You still willing to help out with the training tonight?"

"Lead the way," Matthew replied.

"Your wife is going to be pissed at you," Maria commented, motioning to the stain on Matthew's shirt.

"I know," Matthew said.

 ** _…_**

Ellie looked at her clock. It was well past midnight. She had been laying in the bed since she'd come inside, attempting to collect her thoughts. She hadn't bothered changing into her night clothes and only chose to take off the sleeve that covered her bite.

The door to the house opened and closed.

Ellie turned off her CD player and shoved the piece of paper she was holding into the drawer of her bedside table.

Matthew walked into the bedroom a few seconds later.

Ellie looked at him with a forced smile. The smile disappeared when she saw a blood stain on the left arm of Matthew's shirt.

"Don't worry," Matthew said. He took off the shirt and placed it in a laundry basket before taking the walkie-talkie off his belt and placing it on the bedside table. "It's not mine."

"Not yet," Ellie said irritably. Her exhaustion and stress started to take over again. "This is why I tried to get Tim to go with you."

"I had it handled," Matthew insisted. "The Infected didn't even get close."

"Somebody obviously fucking did!" Ellie snapped.

Matthew looked at her, confused.

Ellie sighed in frustration and turned away.

"Okay…" Matthew said calmly. "You're obviously pissed about something."

"It's been a hard day," Ellie said. She sat on the bed. "A long day."

"You wanna talk about it?" Matthew asked, sitting beside her.

Ellie opened her mouth, tempted to tell him everything. She found that she didn't know _how_ to tell him. _Not yet._

Ellie shook her head. She laid down on the bed without a word. A few seconds later, she felt Matthew lay beside her and place a cautious hand on her shoulder.

Ellie shied away from his touch for the first time in years.

"It's me," Matthew said quietly. "It's me, isn't it?"

Ellie rolled over and turned to him. "It's not you… it's 'us'."

"In what way?" Matthew asked, looking nervous.

"It's not 'us' in the way that you're thinking," Ellie said. She reached out and touched his hair. "I'm not _that_ mad."

"What is it then?" Matthew asked, grabbing her hand. "How is it 'us'?"

"It's 'us' in a way that's… complicated."

Matthew smiled slightly. "You really don't want to tell me right now."

"I'll tell you in the morning," Ellie said softly. "I promise."

Matthew squeezed her hand and let their arms fall to the bed together. Their rings touched with a soft clink. "Okay," he said.

Ellie rolled over and closed her eyes. She fell asleep almost immediately.

 _Ellie smiled at the group of people standing around her. Heather, Joey, Tim, and Clarisse stood around the small bed Ellie laid upon. Matthew and Joel stood next to her._

 _Ellie felt happy. Just as happy as she ever had with Riley. With Joel. With Matthew. She felt happy. Ellie smiled at Joel and Matthew before looking at the white bundle in her arms. It was beautiful._

 _Ellie hugged the bundle close. It cooed softly._

 _Ellie felt tears welling up into her eyes. She didn't bother to wipe them. She never bothered to wipe tears of happiness. She started to turn the bundle, wanting to once again to gaze at the face within._

 _As Ellie turned the bundle, she saw a small lock of red hair._

 _The moment grew cold. Ellie saw her breath and that of the white bundle's turn cold. A gust of wind blew through them. Ellie felt her long hair whip around and wrap itself into a ponytail._

 _Ellie looked up and watched as Heather and Joey disappeared, fading away as if they never existed. Clarisse and Tim shrunk from happy, smiling, confident young adults into kids. The wind was joined by the sound of Clickers. A look of fear crossed Timmy and Clarisse's faces before they disappeared as well._

 _Ellie's wedding ring and necklace flew from her body and whipped through Joel and Matthew, turning them to puffs of smoke._

 _Beyond the dissipating mist, Ellie spotted Riley as she too faded from existence._

 _Ellie squeezed her eyes shut._

 _"I lost them," Ellie whispered. "They're gone."_

 _The chanting began again._

 _"You're alone."_

 _Ellie tightened her grip on the white bundle, determined not to let it slip from her grasp._

 _The wind stopped. All went silent. There was nothing._

 _Nothing but Ellie and the bundle._

 _Ellie held the bundle close. "I lost them. I won't lose you."_

 _The bundle squealed and started to move._

 _Ellie slowly started to turn the bundle._

 _The bundle stopped moving. A few seconds later, it started twitching._

 _The bundle slowly rotated, as if on its own accord._

 _Ellie watched._

 _The bundle grew cold as it continued to twitch._

 _There was another gust of wind as Ellie's sleeve flew off, exposing her bite. The rotating bundle began to turn brown and green as fungus started to grow upon it._

 _The turning stopped as Ellie gazed at the sleeping baby within the bundle._

 _The baby opened its eyes. They were tinted with a hint of red._

 _The baby's mouth opened unnaturally and sharp teeth flashed as it screeched loudly._

 ** _…_**

"Ellie!" Matthew shouted, trying to keep a hold of his screaming wife. "Ellie, wake up! Hey, wake up!"

Ellie stopped screaming. She was breathing heavily, drenched in sweat as her eyes began to focus.

"You're here," Matthew said, cupping her face in his hands. "You're here. With me."

Ellie put hand on her stomach and shook her head as tears began to flow. "Where's my knife?" she asked quickly. "Where's my knife?"

"What?" Matthew asked.

Ellie pulled herself from his grasp.

Matthew stood. "It's in the drawer, where it always is. Ellie, what's going on?"

Ellie didn't answer as she attempted to open the drawer with her shaking hand. On the third attempt, she yanked the drawer from the table. It landed on the floor with a loud thud, causing Winston to scatter.

"Ellie," Matthew said again. He reached for her. "Just talk to me."

Ellie grabbed her switchblade knife and a piece of paper from the drawer. She ran out the door and out of the house.

Matthew jogged out of behind her, almost running straight into Joel who was coming off the stairs.

"What's going on?" Joel asked, his eyes filled with concern,

"I don't know," Matthew said. He shook his head. "I don't know. She was having a nightmare and then she just started screaming."

"Any idea what it was about?" Joel asked.

"No," Matthew said. He quickly ran into the bedroom to grab his outfit from the previous night. As he dressed, Matthew raised his voice so Joel could hear. "I don't get it. She was acting weird last night, but… I don't know."

"Do you have any idea where she went?" Joel asked.

"She didn't say," Matthew said, returning to Joel. "She just took her knife and ran off."

Joel ran upstairs and returned with a green flannel shirt and a pair of jeans before exiting the house with Matthew.

Joel immediately turned toward the south side of the Wall.

"Joel," Matthew said quickly. "She's not leaving."

Joel turned back to Matthew. "She didn't say anything to you," the older man said quietly. "And she sure as hell didn't say anything to me. And you don't know where she's going."

"Ellie's not the same person she was when you and I met her," Matthew said calmly. "She wouldn't run. Not from us."

Joel gulped and nodded. "Okay, kid. But we still have no idea where she went."

"I think I might know where she's going," Matthew said.

Matthew led Joel to the park.

Clarisse was already there with Lin. The two young women stood near the trees leading to Matthew and Ellie's spot. Clarisse was talking quietly to Lin who had a look of concern on her face.

"Shit," Matthew said under his breath.

Joel slowed to a stop and turned to him.

Matthew shook his head. "Ellie wasn't wearing her sleeve."

"Lin doesn't know?" Joel asked.

"Didn't," Matthew corrected as Clarisse walked forward.

"She just flew past us," Clarisse said quickly to Joel and Matthew.

Clarisse and Lin were each wearing a pair of red shorts and blue t-shirts.

Lin still a look of concern and confusion on her face. Her gaze was fixed on the trees leading to Matthew and Ellie's spot.

"She wouldn't even talk to me," Clarisse said.

Matthew placed a hand on Clarisse's shoulder. "Clarisse, do you know what's going on?"

"No," Clarisse answered. "I don't. She came by so fast… She was holding her knife. I haven't seen her with the knife in years."

"She was pretty upset when she left the house," Joel said.

"She um…" Clarisse pointed at the ground near the entrance to the park. "She had a piece of paper. She dropped part of it on the ground there."

"Clarisse," Joel said, lowering his voice. "Does Lin—"

"Don't worry about Lin," Clarisse said, holding up a hand. "I'll take care of that. I'll talk to her and then I'll talk to her dad. You two just take care of Ellie."

"Thank you, Clarisse," Joel said.

Matthew retrieved the half-ripped piece of paper Ellie had dropped, unfolding it. He closed the paper almost immediately.

Joel looked at Matthew expectantly.

"She'll want to talk to you," Matthew said after a few seconds.

Joel looked at the piece of paper in Matthew's hand. "What do you know, kid?"

Matthew crumpled the paper in his hand. "She'll want to talk to you," he repeated firmly.

Joel made eye contact with Matthew for a few seconds before turning and walking off into the trees.

As soon as Joel was out of sight and Clarisse had returned to Lin, Matthew looked at the paper in his hand again. He put a hand over his mouth as a slew of emotions came rushing through him.

 ** _…_**

Ellie looked up from her knife and the ripped piece of paper in her hand as Joel walked into the secluded area of the park that Ellie and Matthew had made their hangout so long ago.

Ellie didn't know what to say.

Joel remained silent, as if he was experiencing the same feeling. He ran his hand the length of the hammock that Ellie and Matthew made as he spoke. "This is uh… this is a nice place you guys made."

"Thanks," Ellie said, her voice barely above a whisper. She forced herself to stop fidgeting with her knife and slowly placed it in her pocket before clearing her throat. "Thanks. We put up the hammock the second night we got back here."

Joel traced his hand along the hammock again. "What are you doing here, Ellie?"

"Nightmare," Ellie half-lied.

"I've seen you have nightmares," Joel said calmly, turning to her. "This was a hell of a lot bigger than a normal nightmare."

"This one was different," Ellie said sharply.

Joel looked at her for a moment before taking a seat on the ground to her right. "You gonna tell me what's going on, kiddo?"

Ellie gulped and looked straight ahead, slowly holding the paper in her hand out to Joel.

Joel glanced at it, spotting what Ellie had been staring at for over half an hour. The handwritten words had long since, been engrained in her head.

Homemade Pregnancy Test

"Oh boy," Joel said quietly, looking down.

"I didn't mean for it to happen," Ellie said with a shudder.

"People rarely do," Joel said comfortingly, looking at her.

"I…" Ellie closed her mouth for a moment. "I don't know what to do."

"What do you mean?" Joel asked.

"I don't know… how," Elie said. She shook her head as she finally started to speak her mind. "I don't know what to do. I mean, how the hell do I raise a baby in… Even if it does come out normal."

"Is that what your nightmare was about?" Joel asked. "The baby…"

"Infected," Ellie confirmed. She allowed a single tear to fall from her eye. "It was Infected and I was… we were alone."

"You're not alone," Joel said firmly, placing a hand on Ellie's shoulder.

"That doesn't stop me from being afraid," Ellie said. "And Matthew—"

"Matthew doesn't matter right now," Joel said firmly. He took a breath. "Nothing matters right now but one question."

Ellie turned and looked into his eyes.

"Do you want this child?" Joel asked.

Ellie looked down and remained silent.

Joel squeezed her shoulder. "Kiddo, you need to understand that what I'm asking has nothing to do with the pregnancy or the baby."

"I know," Ellie said softly.

Joel removed his hand to stroke the watch on his wrist. "Knowing the answer to that question will help you get through this."

"Through the rest of my life?" Ellie asked, not really believing him.

"Try the next five minutes," Joel said kindly.

"Even that's too long," Ellie mumbled. "Or not long enough."

"It's still a question to be answered," Joel said. He spoke calmly and firmly. "Do _you_ , Ellie, want this child?"

Ellie looked down at the ground in front of her, allowing all emotion in for the first time since she'd found out she was pregnant. She thought of the being, the child inside of her.

Ellie was silent for five seconds as she absorbed all the emotion. Regret. Elation. Fear. Eagerness. Love. Possession.

Ellie nodded "It's mine," she said. Ellie looked at Joel and spoke firmly. "She's _mine_."

"She?" Joel asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ellie nodded again. "It's a 'she'," she said softly with certainty.

Joel smiled softly. "Then you'll do what you need to do to keep this child safe and happy."

They sat in silence for a time before Joel stood. "I'll give you and Matthew some time."

"Joel," Ellie said quickly, standing up.

Joel turned to her.

Ellie hugged him, her head resting on his chest.

Joel hugged her back.

Ellie looked up at him. "Thank you."

Joel brushed a strand of hair out of Ellie's eye, speaking as a tear fell down his cheek. "You'll be a great mom, baby girl."

 ** _…_**

Matthew took another deep breath as Joel emerged from the trees, walking straight toward him.

Joel walked straight up to Matthew, his face unreadable.

Matthew didn't know what to expect. He looked Joel in the eye, determined to look brave despite how he felt.

"You know what you have to do?" Joel asked.

"Anything and everything I can," Matthew answered. He looked at the trees before returning his gaze to Joel. "I'm not going anywhere, Joel."

Joel nodded and placed his hand on Matthew's shoulder as he spoke. "Go talk to your wife, Matthew."

Joel patted Matthew's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze as he walked away.

Matthew walked around the trees. Ellie moved over slightly as Matthew sat down in front his wife. They sat together in silence for a few minutes.

Matthew opened his mouth several times, but once again had no idea what to say.

"So, now what do we do?" Ellie asked lightly.

"I don't know," Matthew answered honestly.

"Well, you always know what do," Ellie said. She sighed dramatically. "I guess we're fucked."

"I'll do whatever you want," Matthew said quickly. He looked at Ellie as a small amount of emotion entered his voice. "I'll do whatever you want. I'll stop leaving Jackson. I'll take less shifts on the Wall. I'll go to the Foundation—"

"You don't need to change everything for me," Ellie interrupted, grabbing his hands. She spoke softly and with emotion. "Or for her. I just need to know that you're here. Because I don't want to do this by myself."

"You won't," Matthew promised. He spoke firmly. "I'm here."

"Good," Ellie said, visibly relieved. She looked at the hammock for a moment before looking at Matthew. She swallowed. "I need you to change one thing."

"The last change I made didn't turn out too bad," Matthew said, rubbing the ring on Ellie's finger.

Ellie slowly reached out and touched Matthew's shirt, using her thumb to rub the material against the long-healed knife wound on Matthew's shoulder. "I don't want you going out there on your own again. Not without me, Joey, or Tim."

"Yes, ma'am," Matthew said without hesitation.

Ellie nodded and touched her stomach. "You can't ask me to explain to our daughter why her dad isn't around."

"There'll be enough to explain as it is," Matthew said as a new set of fears rushed in.

Ellie stood and held out her hand. "Let's go for a walk," she said.

 ** _…_**

Ellie and Matthew wandered out from behind the trees.

Matthew stopped.

Ellie looked at him, confused.

"We may have a problem," Matthew said. He pointed at Ellie's exposed bite. "Could be a big one."

"Shit!" Ellie said loudly. "I'm forgot the stupid sleeve… Lin was here."

"Clarisse said she would handle it," Matthew said calmly. "If not, we'll figure something out. But I think we should trust Clarisse on this. If anyone can convince Lin, it's her."

"We're about to find out," Ellie said under her breath as Lin cautiously walked toward them from the entrance of the park.

Lin was alone. She walked up to Ellie and stood silently, as if unsure of what to say. After a few seconds of silence, she held out her hand.

Ellie looked at Matthew for a moment before holding up her hand as well.

Lin reached forward slowly and touched Ellie's arm, looking at the bite.

"I'm sure you have a few questions," Ellie said as Matthew placed an arm around his wife's shoulder. "We're ready."

"Does it hurt?" Lin asked.

"Not anymore," Ellie answered. "Not for a long, long time."

"Okay," Lin answered. She let go of Ellie's arm and placed her hands in her pockets. "I promise I won't tell anyone."

"Just like that?" Ellie asked, exchanging a surprised look with Matthew. She looked at Lin. "You don't want to know anything else?"

"After everything you've done for my dad and me," Lin said with a small smile. She looked at Matthew. "After everything everyone in Jackson has done… it'd be pointless to make a problem of something that doesn't exist."

"That's… um…" Ellie was at a loss for words.

"That's very grown up of you," Matthew completed for her.

"Extremely," Ellie added, smiling at Matthew appreciatively.

Lin shrugged. She reached into her back pocket and handed Ellie a sleeve. "My dad wanted me to give this to you," she said as Ellie took the sleeve. "He wanted me to tell you that he always knew there was more than one 'Winter Flower' in Jackson."

Ellie stared at the sleeve in her hand.

Lin walked away.

"Son of a bitch," Ellie muttered. She looked at Matthew. "He knew. He always knew."

"I'm not complaining," Matthew said. He started walking with Ellie. "Although I think I've had my fill of surprises for the day."

Ellie and Matthew returned to the streets of Jackson before either of them spoke.

Ellie felt her husband's grip on her shoulder tighten and loosen. When she looked over, she found his face unreadable.

"What was the first thing you felt?" Ellie asked. She looked at Matthew. "When you figured it out?"

"Happy," Matthew answered.

Ellie knew he was telling the truth. "And the next one?" she asked.

Matthew stopped them. "You haven't asked me this many questions since we first met," he observed.

Ellie sighed. "When we first met, I couldn't get a good read on you. Ever since the night on the lake in Indiana…"

"When you kissed me," Matthew recalled.

"When you kissed me back," Ellie corrected. "Since then, I've always been able to know when somethings wrong. Right now, I… I can't get anything."

Matthew slowly started walking again. "Old reflexes," he said quietly.

"You're scared shitless," Ellie guessed. "Aren't you? You only close yourself off to _me_ when you're scared."

"Scared shitless is putting it mildly," Matthew admitted.

"We should probably talk about that," Ellie suggested.

Matthew chuckled and looked at her. "Both of us?" he asked.

"Why not?" Ellie asked.

Matthew didn't answer right away.

Ellie reached out and grabbed his hand. "Look, I'm not saying we have to talk everything out and fix it right now. Let's just get the issues out there."

Matthew nodded. "Would you mind going first this time."

Ellie took a deep breath as they resumed a normal walking pace. "Okay. What if she is born and… she's Infected?"

"Can't change that," Matthew said simply. "And why is it a 'she'?"

"Were not talking through the crazy things right now, remember?" Ellie said, nudging his shoulder. She looked at the ground. "And it's a 'she'. Your turn."

Matthew was silent for a moment. "What if our child asks about Riley and I need to explain why they can't meet their aunt?"

Ellie squeezed his hand. "My turn. Um…" she hesitated before looking at the sleeve covering her bite. "I'm afraid of the fact that I'm going to have to burden her with my bite and all the lies and secrets that come with it."

"What if the kid hate's me?" Matthew asked.

Ellie looked at him and saw a tear running down his cheek.

Matthew looked away. "Sorry. That one was… too much."

"The fact is, she's stuck with you," Ellie said lightly. She leaned up and kissed Matthew on the cheek. "Because _I_ love you. And personally, I think it would be pretty impossible to hate you."

"This is a lot more then I thought it would be," Matthew commented.

"No, it isn't," Ellie said, seeing through him once again.

Matthew nodded. "At this point, the list _is_ surprisingly small," he muttered after a few seconds.

Ellie stopped them as they neared their house. "I promised myself that I wasn't going to go 'Foundation' when we started this conversation, but I'm going to do it anyway."

"What do you got?" Matthew asked.

"The difference between us having this conversation here," Ellie said, motioning to the community around them. Ellie then pointed toward the south side of the Wall. "And out there, is that it's not just us. It's not just you and me and Joel. We have people we can trust here. People our daughter can trust. Even when she doesn't want to talk to us. We have friends."

Matthew looked around them and looked at Ellie. "You're right," he said, seeming relieved. "We have family. Our child has family."

"A damn good one," Ellie said. They stood in front of their house. She looked at Matthew again. "You want to tell people tonight?"

"Sure," Matthew said.

They started walking again.

Ellie looked around. "So… what are we going to name her?"

"I haven't even gotten that far," Matthew said with a laugh.

"Rain check on baby names?" Ellie offered.

"Rain check," Matthew said.

They walked in silence until they reached Joey and Heather's house.

Matthew reached for the doorknob and hesitated. "About the baby names," he said, looking down. "I don't want her name to be… never mind."

Ellie placed a hand on his shoulder. "I don't think Riley's the right name either," she said quietly.

Matthew let out a breath. "Sorry. It's just…"

"Too soon," Ellie completed in agreement.

Matthew nodded and knocked on the door. He leaned close to Ellie's ear. "I'm really glad we're doing this," he said softly.

"Me too," Ellie said.

Ellie turned to Matthew and planted a kiss on his lips as the door to the house opened.


	20. Special: Part IV

Nine months following the events of "Special: Part III"

Ellie awoke from her dream to find Matthew smiling at her. Ellie smiled back and they

laid in silence as the sun started to creep over the trees, illuminating them in the early summer light.

"You were smiling in your sleep," Matthew said.

"I was having a weird but… good dream," Ellie said.

"I think the baby liked it too," Matthew said, keeping his hand rested on Ellie's fully

enlarged stomach.

"Kicking again?" Ellie asked.

Matthew nodded. "I think we're getting close."

"Better be," Ellie said, sitting up. "I want my body back."

"You never did like sharing," Matthew teased.

"I'm getting better," Ellie said, touching her stomach. "Besides, she's worth it."

"Still insisting it's a 'she'?" Matthew asked, sitting up.

"It's a 'she'," Ellie insisted.

"You know, eventually we'll have to pick a name for it," Matthew said.

"I figure her name will come to us when the time is right," Ellie said. She threw back the covers and slowly stood. "Like when I need to stop her from doing something really stupid."

Matthew chuckled and stood as well.

They both got dressed. Ellie put on a flannel red shirt and a pair of blue jeans along with her black sleeve. Matthew put on a blue sweatshirt and blue jeans.

Ellie turned back to Matthew as he grabbed his backpack, beginning their routine morning conversation. "Where are you, today?"

"On the Wall training until six," Matthew said. "But I also said that I'd be open to staying for an overnight shift."

Ellie nodded.

"They said if anything happens, I can leave anytime I want," Matthew continued, grabbing his crossbow. "But I made a promise to myself that I would protect our child's home."

"As long as your daughter sees you at _our_ home regularly, I have no problem with that," Ellie said simply.

They walked down stairs and found Joel at the table, reading his book and still dressed in his black pajamas.

Matthew set down his crossbow, moved a piece on the chess board that he and Joel had set up the night before, and cooked up a quick breakfast.

Ellie grabbed a glass of water from the sink and refilled Joel's coffee.

"How you feelin', kiddo?" Joel asked Ellie.

"Fat," Ellie answered. She sat down on a chair across from him. "And hungry."

Matthew set plates down in front Ellie and Joel, keeping an apple for himself.

"I wanna hold her," Ellie said, staring at her stomach. She looked at Joel. "Is that weird?"

"I haven't exactly gone through what you're going through," Joel grunted, earning smiles from Matthew and Ellie. Joel shrugged. "But I would think that's normal."

Matthew put his hand around Ellie's chest. "I gotta go," he said quietly.

"See you tomorrow if I don't see you later," Ellie said.

Matthew kissed Ellie on the head before momentarily resting his hand on her stomach.

Joel leaned forward. "Hold up a sec, kid."

"Uh oh," Ellie said.

Joel took a deep breath. "I need you two to do me a favor," he said, running a hand through his beard. He stroked his watch as he spoke. "When this kid comes… appreciate and remember every hug. Every laugh. Every cry. Don't take any of it, and I mean any of it, for granted. Can you do that for me?"

"Yes, sir," Matthew said quietly.

Ellie nodded. "I've learned not to take anything for granted."

"Good," Joel said.

Matthew grabbed his crossbow and walked out the door.

"You two chosen a name yet?" Joel asked as Matthew closed the front door.

"Not yet," Ellie said. She took a drink of water. "It's going to be weird being called 'mom'."

"Well, that's not going to happen right away," Joel warned.

"I know," Ellie said. "But it's cool to think about, you know? I'm going to be 'mom'. Matthew's going to be 'dad'."

Joel smiled slightly and took a drink of his coffee. "So, what does that make me?"

Ellie didn't answer right away. "The guy who takes care of the majority of poop and other gross body stuff?" she said lightly.

"Good luck with that," Joel said, taking another sip of his coffee.

Ellie smiled.

After another minute of silence, Joel nodded and sat back in his chair.

"Sorry," Ellie said, looking down at the table.

"It's fine," Joel said, holding up a hand.

"It's just, you've always been 'Joel'," Ellie tried to explain. "It's always been that way."

"That's fine," Joel insisted. He chuckled. "I've been called worse than 'Joel'."

Ellie touched her stomach again as the baby started kicking. "Yeah, yeah," she said. "I'll feed you in a second."

"Kicking a lot?" Joel asked.

"Yeah," Ellie said with a laugh. "I think she's ready to come out. Matthew said the dream I had last night had her kicking too."

"What was the dream about?" Joel asked.

"Sarah," Ellie answered without thinking.

Joel looked at her curiously.

Ellie sighed. "It's not the first time she's made a guest appearance."

"Good dreams?" Joel asked.

"Always," Ellie said.

"What was it about?" Joel pressed. "The dream."

"It was you, me, and Sarah," Ellie said simply with a shrug. "We were eating or something."

Joel stroked his watch.

Ellie started to fidget with her necklace. "It's like I knew her," she continued, looking at Joel again. "I've only ever seen her in the picture and it's not like we talk in the dreams, but… there's always a connection."

"Better than nightmares," Joel commented.

"Any day of the week," Ellie replied. She smiled. "Dreams are weird, right?"

Joel nodded.

The baby kicked again.

"Okay!" Ellie exclaimed, picking up her spoon.

 ** _…_**

Matthew reached the Wall and walked up the ladder to see two young men and a young woman sitting on top of it. They were all dressed in black t-shirts and ripped blue jeans. They looked a little nervous, but alert.

Matthew got the morning briefing from the old, overnight watchmen.

"They look nervous," the watchmen commented quietly, glancing at the group.

"They'll grow out of it," Matthew said. "They always do."

"You're the expert," the watchmen replied.

"They got any weapons experience?" Matthew asked.

The watchmen shook his head. "Not really. Looks like you got your work cut out for you."

"Well, then the day'll go fast," Matthew said.

"Good luck," the watchmen said. "And keep an eye on that wife of yours. It looks like she's gonna explode."

Matthew nodded and turned to the group. After moment of silence, Matthew chuckled. "You guys can relax. You've been here long enough to know that I'm not the one that bites."

The two young men and the young woman smiled slightly and visibly relaxed.

"And I'm not going to shout at you if you mess up, either," Matthew said. He sat down and half turned to them, motioning to the trees beyond Jackson. "The first thing you got to remember is that the louder it is on the Wall, the less you'll hear and see out there."

 ** _…_**

Ellie spent the entire day at the Foundation.

After running three meetings and occasionally feeling some tight stomach pains, Ellie retreated to the back office to sort through papers and prepare for the next day's meetings.

Ellie looked at the clock on the wall. _Ha! All this and I'm not even tired._

Marcus walked into the office and placed a water bottle in her hand.

"Thanks," Ellie said.

Marcus nodded. "Do you ever relax?"

"Tried once," Ellie replied as she placed a stack of papers in a drawer. "I found it boring. How's your daughter?"

"Adjusting," Marcus answered. "Clarisse and Lin were right. The puzzles they've been making for her have helped her focus a bit more. And they're coming over every night to help out with homework."

"Good," Ellie said. There was another tight pain in her stomach. She took a drink of water. "Well, I'm gonna head to the shop. You sure that you're good running nighttime emergency meetings?"

"I got the morning off tomorrow. So, I'm sure I'll manage for a few hours," Marcus said. He placed a hand on Ellie's shoulder. "Do me a favor. Please be at home before the sun rises tomorrow."

"No promises," Ellie replied as she exited the office.

Ellie walked into the shop a while later when the moon was high in the sky

Ellie looked at the mess. Once again, the two sides of the store had mixed into one. "Damn," she said under her breath.

"Pick a name yet?" the shopkeeper asked from behind the counter. He was already dressed in his black night clothes.

"Not yet," Ellie answered. She looked around the shop. "It's going to shit again."

"You can blame your husband for that," the shopkeeper said. "He did good on the scavenging trip he led last week."

Ellie chuckled as the baby kicked. She looked at the shopkeeper. "She says I should help you out."

"Feel free," the shopkeeper said. He walked to the door and flipped around the faded open/close sign. "I'm going to bed. Don't stay up too late."

 ** _…_**

"You guys did great," Matthew said as the two young men and the young woman walked away from the Wall.

"You are one of the most patient people I've ever met," a man down the Wall grunted.

"Better patient than dead," Matthew said.

"Amen," the man said. He looked at Matthew. "You still good for the overnight shift?"

"I don't have a problem with it," Matthew replied.

"What about your wife?" the man asked.

"Cleared it with her earlier," Matthew answered.

"Smart man."

 ** _…_**

Ellie slowly walked out of the shop around midnight. Her stomach pains had started to become more frequent and intense.

"Shit," Ellie said in pain as her stomach tightened again. She leaned against the front window of the shop. "Okay, kid. What are you doing?"

"Ellie?"

Ellie turned as Clarisse and Lin walked across the street, their hands intertwined. Both of them were dressed in simple purple t-shirts and blue shorts.

What are you two still doing up?" Ellie asked.

"You're going to talk to _us_ about curfew?" Clarisse asked as Lin smiled. She looked at Ellie with concern. "You're not looking so good."

"Stomach's hurting," Ellie replied. She started to walk. "I think I'm going to call it a night."

Clarisse and Lin glanced at each other.

"How often is your stomach hurting?" Lin asked.

"It feels like it's every ten minutes," Ellie grunted.

"You're having contractions," Clarisse said calmly.

Ellie shook her head.

Lin looked at Ellie's stomach. "How long?"

"What?" Ellie asked.

"How long is the pain lasting?" Clarisse clarified.

Ellie shrugged. "About one… oh, fuck. I'm having contractions."

Clarisse folded her arms and raised an eyebrow.

Ellie didn't speak for a moment. A whirlwind of emotions overtook her as she started to think about what it all could mean.

"You should get her to Heather's," Lin said quietly to Clarisse.

"Could you go get Steven?" Clarisse asked her. "I saw him further down the south side of the Wall."

"Don't," Ellie said quickly. She smiled. "You girls just have fun on your date. I can make it to Heather's on my own."

"Not a chance," Clarisse said, moving to stand next to Ellie.

Lin ran off and returned a few minutes later with Steven.

"Woah," Steven said quietly, looking at Ellie.

"That's an understatement," Ellie said.

"Let's get you to Heather's," Steven said. He looked at Lin and Clarisse. "Heather and Joey are on the east side of the Wall. Can one of you get them for me?"

"I'll go," Clarisse said.

"I'll cover your shift on the Wall for a while," Lin said to Steven.

"I'll come back with Heather and stick around," Clarisse assured Steven.

Ellie groaned. "You guys don't have to—"

"Shut up," Clarisse interrupted calmly.

Ellie stopped speaking out of surprise.

Everyone laughed for a moment.

Lin turned to Clarisse, speaking softly. "I'll see you tomorrow. Wǒ ài nǐ."

"Wǒ yě ài, nǐ," Clarisse replied, giving Lin a kiss. She turned to Ellie. "I'll see you in a few."

"Just…" Ellie hesitated, still trying to clear her thoughts. "Just keep it quiet."

"Matthew?" Clarisse asked.

"Not yet," Ellie said.

 ** _…_**

"You're happy, right?" Heather asked Joey as they looked out over the Wall.

"Yes," Joey said, smiling. He continued fidgeting with the belt loop on his blue jeans and the bottom of his green t-shirt. "I don't think I've ever been this happy… or this scared. But that's not important. Are you happy?"

"Same as you," Heather said, stretching out her legs and allowing the breeze to flow through a few of the ripped holes on her own blue jeans. She tugged at the bottom of her white t-shirt. "Happy. Scared shitless. And more happy."

"Heather! Joey!"

Heather stood with Joey and hopped off the Wall to greet an out of breath Clarisse.

"Ellie…" Clarisse said, lowering her voice and panting. "Ellie needs you."

"Let's go," Heather said immediately.

Joey looked at a man on the Wall. "You guys good?"

"You weren't even shifted, kid."

Joey nodded and joined Heather and Clarisse.

"Steven's bringing Ellie to your place," Clarisse explained.

"Who knows?" Heather asked.

"Ellie wants to keep it pretty quiet," Clarisse answered.

 ** _…_**

Ellie looked up from the bed that Heather and Joey had moved into the kitchen for her over a week ago.

The bed was empty accept for an old, ripped sheet and a bunch of pillows.

Heather walked into the kitchen with Joey.

"You okay?" Joey asked Ellie.

"Where the fuck were you guys?" Ellie snapped. After a few seconds, she took a deep breath. "Sorry. I'm in a bit of pain."

"You have a baby repositioning itself inside your stomach," Heather said with a shrug. "That's gotta be a bit intense."

Ellie chuckled. "A bit… yeah." She looked Heather in the eye with a hint of desperation.

Heather nodded.

Joey noticed the exchange and placed a hand on Heather's shoulder. "Lin's got to get back home soon," he said. "So, Steven's gonna need to head back to the Wall."

"Okay," Heather said. She grabbed his hand and squeezed for a moment. "I'll be fine."

"Clarisse and I will stick around," Joey said. He looked at Ellie. "If you need anyone to punch, I'll be down the hall."

"I'll keep that in mind," Ellie said with an appreciative smile.

Joey left the room with Arata, closing the door behind him.

Ellie grunted in pain. She looked at Heather and spoke calmly. "I need to talk to you."

"Finally," Heather said with a smile. She sat down on the bed next to Ellie. "You've only been avoiding talking about your anxiety for nine months now."

"I've talked to Matthew," Ellie argued. She reached out and touched Heather's hand. "But I'd really like to talk to my girl."

"Ready to receive any venting you've got," Heather said, grasping Ellie's hand. Heather looked at the loose, baggy grey sweatshirt on the edge of the bed. "You should probably get dressed."

"I'm comfortable for the first time in an hour," Ellie said, sitting back against the pillows propped up on the bed. "I'm not getting up. And I'm _not_ wearing that shirt. It's not my color."

"Your choice…" Heather said looking away with a small smile.

 ** _…_**

Joey looked over at Clarisse on the other side of the couch. She was fidgeting with her fingers and ignoring the purring cat next to her.

"Clarisse," Joey said quietly.

The young woman looked at him.

Joey smiled. "She'll be fine. Besides, I don't think anything's really supposed to happen for a few hours."

Clarisse slowly nodded and looked at Joey. She sighed. "You're right."

"Anything you wanna talk about?" Joey asked.

Clarisse looked down at the floor. "Do you think the baby will like me?"

Joey smiled, reaching out and placing a hand on the young woman's shoulder as he spoke. "I don't see how anybody couldn't like you, Clarisse."

 ** _…_**

Ellie breathed in relief as Heather massaged her back, somehow easing some of the pain in her stomach.

Ellie felt immensely grateful for her friend. Heather had listened for quite some time as Ellie talked about everything that had scared her and everything that she felt excited for.

"Better?" Heather asked.

"Better," Ellie replied, knowing that Heather wasn't just talking about the pain. "Thanks for letting me… be nervous."

"You're doing fine," Heather said. She squeezed Ellie's hand. "You'll do fine."

Ellie heard a quiet pop and a small amount of liquid flowed down her pants leg.

"Fuck…" Ellie said as the liquid stopped flowing. She looked at Heather. "These are my favorite pants."

"I warned you," Heather said with a laugh.

"Help me get the damn sweater on," Ellie said grumpily.

A minute later, Ellie was sitting down on the bed wearing only the large baggy sweater. "Now what?" she asked.

"Now it gets more intense," Heather said, somewhat nervously. "You want Joey to get Matthew?"

"Not yet," Ellie said, rubbing her tired eyes. She looked at Heather. "How intense are we talking?"

Heather didn't answer.

"Joyous," Ellie moaned as another, even more powerful contraction occurred. She lightly touched her stomach. "With how painful this is, little girl, you'd better be pretty."

 ** _…_**

Matthew turned slightly as he heard a dog bark behind him.

The sun started to rise as Winston half ran, half limped down the street toward the Wall. The dog's greying fur shined brightly in the sunlight.

"Joel finally let you out?" Matthew asked as he reached into the bag next to him and threw the dog an apple. "Eat up."

"Morning," Maria said, joining Matthew on the Wall. She wore a black t-shirt and a pair of blue jeans.

"Morning," Matthew replied. He handed Maria an apple.

"How long have you been up here?" Maria asked.

"I had late start yesterday," Matthew replied. "Have you seen Ellie?"

Maria shook her head. "Joel's at our house getting breakfast. You gonna join us?"

"I'm good," Matthew said. He gulped and looked at Maria. "Something's going to happen today."

"Do you know something?" Maria asked. "Or is this another one of those hunches you get?"

Matthew shrugged.

"Well, don't wear yourself out," Maria said.

"I'll be fine for a couple more hours," Matthew insisted.

"I don't want to see you on the Wall tomorrow," Maria said firmly.

"Yes, ma'am."

 ** _…_**

"Shit," Ellie grunted. "That one was really painful."

"Looked like it," Heather said. She helped Ellie lay back. "What's the call?"

Ellie looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was six in the morning. She looked at Heather. "Have Joey and Clarisse get Matthew."

"Joel?" Heather asked.

"Just Matthew," Ellie said with a pained grunt and yawn. "For now."

 ** _…_**

Clarisse took the walkie-talkie from Joey and turned it to a private channel. "Marcus, Joey needs you to take his shift on the Wall later."

"Something wrong?" Marcus asked.

"Code red," Clarisse replied.

"I got it covered."

 ** _…_**

Joey skidded to a stop as he saw Tim and Vanessa exiting the shop.

Tim was wearing a purple sweater and a black pair of jeans. Vanessa was wearing blue shorts and one of Tim's old red t-shirts.

"Thank God," Joey said, jogging to them. "Have you seen Matthew?"

"Yeah, he's pulling another crazy one on the Wall," Tim replied.

"What's going on?" Vanessa asked. She smiled. "The baby?"

Joey nodded.

"I'll head to the Foundation and hold down the fort," Vanessa said, hugging Tim tightly. "I have a meeting to cover."

"I love you," Tim said.

"Love you too," Vanessa replied. She jogged away.

Tim looked after her for a moment before turning to Joey, feeling excited as he spoke. "I'll lead the way."

They started jogging along the Wall, looking for Matthew.

"You do it yet?" Joey asked.

"Not yet," Tim replied.

"Can I see it?"

Tim reached into his pocket and handed Joey a small gold ring. "All the fancy stuff we found last week on the scouting trip," Tim explained. "This is what Vanessa was staring at."

"I'm sure she'll love it," Joey said, handing back the ring.

"I'm more concerned about her answer," Tim said.

"She'll say 'yes'," Joey assured him.

"I hope so," Tim said with a small chuckle. "I already asked Matthew to be my best man and Clarisse has her speech written out already. She said she was saving it for a _special_ occasion or something."

 ** _…_**

Matthew hopped off the Wall as Tim and Joey ran to him.

"The baby's coming," Matthew said nervously. "Isn't it?"

The two men in front of him nodded.

Matthew took a deep breath and turned away. "I'll be there in a sec."

Joey and Tim glanced at each other. Joey nodded, turned, and jogged off.

Matthew felt Tim's reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You'll do great," the younger man said. "Trust me."

"Okay," Matthew said, feeling surprisingly relieved.

"Ready?" Tim asked.

"Ready."

"Let's go."

Matthew and Tim jogged after Joey with Winston in tow.

 ** _…_**

Joey passed by the shopkeeper on the way to Heather's. "Grandpa?" he asked, surprised to see his grandfather so far from the shop, dressed in all brown t-shirt and jeans with a rifle in tow.

"I figure somebody had better cover that kid's shift," his grandfather replied.

"I'll make sure he thanks you later," Joey said. The old man nodded in reply and kept walking. Joey turned. "Grandpa?"

His grandfather turned. "Yes, grandson?"

"When was the last time you were on the Wall?" Joey asked.

"Not since your mother and I made this place as secure as we could," his grandfather answered.

Joey raised an eyebrow.

His grandfather smiled. "You weren't born yet, kid."

Joey looked at the ground as his grandfather walked away.

For the first time in his life, Joey felt old. "Shit."

 ** _…_**

Ellie smiled as Matthew entered the room and knelt next to her.

Behind him, Heather exited the bedroom with Winston and Arata.

"You look tired," Ellie commented, looking at the shadows under her husband's eyes.

"You look worse," Matthew replied.

Ellie laughed, then grunted in pain. "I think this feels worse than the time—"

"Let's not revisit any of that right now," Matthew suggested.

"Good idea," Ellie replied.

"You could have had them get me earlier," Matthew said kindly.

"You would have been bored," Ellie replied. She grabbed his hand as the contraction Matthew walked in on ended.

"Joel on his way?" Matthew asked.

"He doesn't know yet," Ellie said. She smiled. "I just needed to see you first. I don't know why."

After a couple minutes and a particularly long and painful contraction that drove even more energy out of her, Ellie laid back and panted heavily.

"Is there anything I can do?" Matthew asked.

Ellie attempted to speak through her pain and exhaustion. "Get dad…" she practically whispered.

"What?" Matthew asked.

"Get Joel!" Ellie snapped as another contraction hit.

Matthew immediately stood and ran out the door.

 ** _…_**

Joey walked up to Heather who was still standing outside the kitchen door as Matthew ran past.

"How you doin'?" Joey asked, slipping a hand around Heather's waist.

"Nervous," Heather replied quietly. "I haven't exactly done this before."

"You're Jackson's best doctor," Joey whispered. "You'll do fine."

Heather grabbed his hand and squeezed.

"You haven't told her yet," Joey guessed. "Ellie, I mean.

Heather shook her head. "This day's about Ellie and _her_ kid."

"You're right," Joey said softly, placing his hand over Heather's stomach. "Elliot can wait."

"Elanor," Heather corrected firmly.

"We'll see," Joey said, kissing her cheek.

 ** _…_**

Matthew found Joel eating with Tommy and Maria at their kitchen table.

Joel wore a green flannel shirt and a pair of blue jeans. His brother was dressed in a frayed blue t-shirt and blue jeans.

Joel saw the look on Matthew's face and immediately stood.

Matthew led Joel, Tommy, and Maria to Heather's house.

Upon entering, Tommy and Maria stayed with Joey, Clarisse, and Tim in the living room. They were all sitting on couches, chairs, and even the floor.

Matthew led Joel down the hallway and into the kitchen.

 ** _…_**

Ellie opened her eyes as another contraction ended and saw Matthew and Joel enter the kitchen.

Matthew stood back as Joel knelt and grabbed Ellie's hand.

"I'm glad you're here," Ellie said weakly.

"I'm here, Ellie," Joel said softly. "I'm here."

"Just in time," Heather said.

Joel squeezed Ellie's hand and stepped back as Heather moved forward.

"I think it's time," Ellie said.

"You ready to push?" Heather asked.

Ellie nodded.

Heather positioned herself on the end of the bed. "Three. Two. One. Ellie, push."

Ellie groaned as she pushed and was rewarded with one of the most painful experiences of her life.

"Stop," Heather said calmly. She counted under her breath. She looked at Ellie. "Again."

"Shit," Ellie grunted as she pushed again.

They repeated the process over the next half hour.

Ellie attempted not to think about the pain. She looked at Matthew and Joel for support.

They encouraged her with quiet, calming words.

Ellie smiled and knew they were there to stay.

"Okay, stop again," Heather said. She hesitated. "I can see the top of the head. This next one's going to hurt like hell, Ellie. But it's almost over. One. Two. Three. Push!"

Ellie squeezed her eyes shut and pushed through the pain. She felt someone grab her hand tightly. She opened her eyes and saw Matthew there.

"I'm here," Matthew said firmly.

"Push!" Heather said again.

Ellie pushed and felt an even more intense pain. She squeezed Matthew's hand and looked into his eyes. They were full of desire, hope, kindness, and happiness. Everything that bonded them together in a single gaze. A single moment.

Ellie felt the pain subside somewhat and she looked up to see a baby girl in Heather's arms. Ellie cried out and tears of happiness flowed from her eyes as the perfect child screamed for the first time.

"Is it okay?" Matthew asked nervously.

"She's fine," Heather said with tears in her eyes. She clamped and cut the umbilical cord.

"Thank God," Matthew said.

Behind Matthew, Ellie saw Joel smiling with a tear in his eye.

Matthew looked at Ellie. "How you doin'?" he asked.

Ellie laid her head back and smiled. She sat up as Heather wrapped a clean towel around the baby.

The baby quieted down and moaned softly.

Heather slowly moved around Matthew and knelt to show Ellie the baby.

The child had a small amount of red hair on top of her head and bright blue eyes staring directly at Ellie. The baby moaned again and closed her eyes.

Ellie laid her head on the baby's brow. "She's so beautiful," Ellie whispered. She looked at Matthew. "We did such a good job. Look at her."

Matthew knelt next to the baby. He put his hand over his mouth and Ellie saw pure joy in his eyes. He touched his forehead lightly against the baby's. The little girl opened her eyes and looked at Matthew for a moment.

Ellie smiled at the sight and eventually looked at Joel. He was still smiling in the doorway. Tears fell down the hand that now rested over his beard.

"Let's let grandpa hold the baby," Ellie said. She waved Joel over.

Matthew gently took the baby and handed it to Joel.

Ellie smiled and touched her necklace.

Joel took the baby and held it in his arms. A tear fell onto the baby's forehead. It opened its eyes for a moment.

Ellie saw Joel smile broadly and noticed a shift in his eyes. She knew he felt a happiness that had been dormant for years.

"Sarah," Ellie said softly. She smiled. "Meet grandpa."

Ellie looked at Matthew, asking silent permission for the name.

Matthew smiled, nodded, and kissed Ellie's forehead.

Behind them. Heather smiled and slowly walked out of the kitchen, closing the door behind her.

Ellie and Joel looked into each other's eyes. They both smiled.

Joel walked forward and laid the child in the crook of Ellie's arm. "You did great, baby girl."

"Thanks," Ellie said.

Joel knelt next to Matthew, put an arm around the new father's shoulder, and grabbed Ellie's other hand.

Matthew was still smiling as he gazed at his now sleeping daughter.

Ellie smiled at both of them and looked at the baby in the crook of her arm.

"My baby girl. My Sarah."

 **THE LAST OF US:**

 **SURROGATE FATES**

 **Jackson Life**


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